Another Chance
by darlingagent
Summary: Jess, a struggling inhuman, agrees to find the Winter Soldier in exchange for a quiet mind. When she realizes her captors don't have a cure, she makes a move to get herself out. She deals with some weird superheroes (and bad guys) and a choice that takes her to unexpected places. Who knew resorting to gas station sushi for a snack would lead to this?
1. Chapter 1

"With the Hive dead, we need a new leader to bring the factions back together. With the soldier at our side once again, we will finally find the respect we've long deserved."

"I understand, but was this the best the Watchdogs could find?"

"She's weaker than the Maximoff girl, but she'll do."

"She can't be fully controlled. She's a liability."

"We'll find a way to encourage her."

Jess forced her eyes open, taking in the sight of the two men looming above her. The only light came from outside of her cell, framing their silhouettes in a vaguely ominous way. She took in a sharp breath and then gagged, the air around her heavy and thick with a strong metallic smell. It's been about a year since she changed. A year since she had a clear mind. A year since everything was taken away.

"Oh, good," one of the men said as he leaned closer to her. "You're awake."

Jess tried to growl in response, but a whimper escaped her lips instead. Her body burned, her heart ached, and her mind screamed. They tried to turn her into their next best weapon: injecting vials of liquids, sending wave after wave of electricity, and blasting blinding bursts of light into her system since they took her in.

She should have known the promise of a cure would come at a price. But even if they did have a cure, why would they fix something that isn't even broken? Despite the splitting headaches she would sometimes get, she knew the pain was just a side effect of the person she was apparently destined to be. Besides, they already took everything she cared about from her. She wasn't going to let them take the last thing she had for herself no matter how much she hated it.

"Please," she mumbled, "just shut up. I'm trying to sleep." She glared at the other man, the faceless man, mustering up the energy she had left to pierce the edges of his mind. The man hissed as his hand shot up to his temple. His reaction coaxed a weak smirk out of Jess before she felt a searing pain rip through her body. She gritted her teeth at the familiar shocks, her back arching as the waves of electricity coursed through her. Her eyes watered, the figures above her blurring for a second before she blinked and the tears fell.

"The rest of your team has been assembled, Jessabell," the faceless man said. "We will prepare you for your mission soon."

"No," Jess's voice cracked. She took in slow, deep breaths to calm her heart. As Jess recovered from the shocks sent through her, her mind flooded again with the incoherent noise she's grown familiar with since she changed. "We weren't meant for this."

"On the contrary," the other man said, "this was our destiny, Jessabell, this is our birthright." She watched as he raised his hand to her face, but he didn't touch her. He prickled her cheek with jabs of electricity, chuckling as he did so. The weaker shocks made her muscles twitch into a twisted half smile that bared her gritted teeth. "You'll understand and accept it one day."

Jess whipped her head away, sucking up the harsher pain in her neck the motion caused. She shut her eyes and fought back the tears that threatened to return.

The faceless man shook his head before addressing Jess. "You will be wiped and released when the mission is complete," he said, reaching for the belts that held Jess's limbs to the bed she laid in.

Jess sighed, releasing the breath she had been holding in. The year she spent here felt like a lifetime. The idea of being freed and seeing the outside world was so ridiculous she nearly laughed. She had an itching feeling that being wiped and released meant something a little more metaphoric than she would have liked.

"Now, come, we must evaluate you before you meet the others." With each belt he removed, the man avoided Jess's skin. She sighed as her wrists and ankles were freed from the tight bounds.

Jess glanced up at his empty face and shook her head slowly. "I don't want to," she inched her body away from the men, moving herself closer to the freezing wall at her side. She brought her knees up to her chin and hugged her legs, massaging her ankles that ached. The cold made her body shake, but she preferred that feeling more than the other man's power. The cold would never be able to numb her mind, but it was better than having it momentarily fried by a man she fiercely hated. She stared at the hands of the man who tortured her, avoiding meeting his eyes. "Why are you making us do this?"

"He's a liability, Jessabell," the faceless man replied. "He's a dangerous weapon that must be controlled—"

Jess choked out an empty laugh. "You're the ones who turned him into a weapon."

"Controlled once again to do Hydra's bidding," the other man finished.

"And that's a good thing?" she spat.

The faceless man shook his head before he took a step back. "You won't eat today if you don't follow. Just do as you're told, Jessabell," he said before reaching into his back pocket. He pulled out a pair of gloves and placed them beside Jess's hands. Jess eyed the stained gloves that were several sizes too big in disgust, but she slipped them on. She slowly tightened them by the belts around her wrists.

Jess sighed, her eyes flicking up to meet the other man's before she started lifting herself off her cot. Her vision was still a bit blurred, but she easily found the piercing blue glint. The other man moved to try and help her, but Jess swatted his arm away.

"Don't touch me," she whispered, getting up with a groan. A rush of light-headedness hit her, so she stumbled in her first few steps before her hand gripped the doorframe to steady herself. Jess took a deep breath and forced herself out of the cell, following the figure of the faceless man down the corridor.

Jess found that escaping from the cell wasn't difficult, but getting through the layers of security was basically impossible. Guards, all enhanced people like her, kept watch from every inch of the place, whatever and wherever this place was. She found her powers basically useless in her attempts at escaping. Sure, she can get a sense of what people around her were thinking and feeling and hit them with a glorified version of a brain freeze, but she could never concentrate enough with all the noise in her head. Every time she tried to find her way out, someone would catch her and bring her back kicking and screaming to the two men.

As Jess followed after the faceless man, with his brother trailing closely behind her, she kept her fingertips along the cool wall just in case she got another bout of dizziness. The guards she passed watched her, shaking their heads or giving disapproving grunts when she sent a quick hello into their mind.

The faceless man took his last turn and Jess nearly bumped into him when he stopped in front of a double door. He peered in through the yellowed windows before stepping aside.

"She's ready for you," the faceless man said, pushing the door open for Jess. Jess shot him a glare before stepping into the ward.

Jess looked around what she assumed to be some old infirmary. Beds and tables alternating along the windowless walls of the room. Her eyes fell to a velvet curtain that enclosed much of the center of the room. She heard shuffling behind it.

"Well this is dramatic," Jess said, calling attention to herself.

"You must be the telepath," a rough voice came from behind the curtain. A woman stepped out, carrying a number of folders and notebooks in her arms. She drew the curtains back revealing a makeshift office, like a psychiatrist's office, complete with a desk, a leather chair, and a bed. She set her belongings on the desk before motioning for Jess to take a seat on the bed in front of her.

"I have a name," Jess replied, examining the cot before settling on its edge. It was fraying and stained with yellow and brown spots. It reeked of something acidic, but was still better than her own cot in the cell. "It's Jessabell."

"It's irrelevant," the woman replied, sitting herself onto her chair. "Pirogov told me you'd be a handful, but I'm not here to waste time," she said in a gravelly voice. "So, let's make this quick, shall we?"

"Don't worry," Jess said, picking at the seams of the bed, "I want to get out ASAP, too."

"Then, tell me," the woman crossed her legs and leaned forward, getting Jess's full attention. "What do you know about the target?"

Jess sighed, having been asked this question over and over again since they told her about the mission. "Used to be Captain America's best friend or probably still is considering what's happened. Also used to be your best assassin—"

"—still our best assassin," the woman corrected.

"Well, I don't see him running around this place as your lap dog, so," Jess shrugged, but continued when the woman only glared. "Last I heard he was framed for blowing up the UN and killing king of Wakanda." Jess looked up at the woman again, who was now going through one of the folders on her desk. "There was some talk of amnesty. Even then, he's killed a lot of innocent people."

"Good," she continued when Jess stopped talking. "So, you have no problem with locating and extracting the Winter Soldier?"

Jess laughed, actually laughed at what she said. "Oh, I do," she replied. "Wherever he is, at least Hydra isn't there to make everything worse."

"So, what is keeping you on this mission?" the woman asked, pulling out a sheet of paper from the folder.

Jess rolled her eyes. "Well, I don't have much of a choice really," she nodded at the door she entered from, "Sparky over there electrocutes me if I so much as try to sneak out to the bathroom." The door behind her lit up blue in response. "See? Always ready with the jazz hands that one."

"They told me they promised you freedom once you've located the Winter Soldier," the woman said. "And a cleared mind upon his extraction. Are you dissatisfied with your abilities?"

"You'd be a bit pissed at the Kree, too, if you had so much," she gritted her teeth and slapped her temple, "so much shit going on inside your head all at once."

Jess wanted out, wanted to go back to her life no matter how quiet and alone it was after she changed. It was better than being stuck in this hell-hole. Until the Winter Soldier was back in Hydra, she'll spend the rest of her days decaying in that rancid, rotting cot of hers. And the slight, albeit questionable, chance of quieting the noise in her head? She'll hunt down all of Captain America's friends, damn her soul in the process.

"Then, it's settled," the woman sighed, her eyes not leaving the paper she pulled out.

"What is that?" Jess questioned. The light behind the woman shined through what she held, so Jess could see it was a photocopy of an old notebook. She couldn't make out the scribbled words, the letters looked foreign and undecipherable in her eyes.

"I need you to do me a favor, Jess," the woman started, "I need you to memorize these words precisely and in this exact order."

"For what?" Jess questioned. She tried to meet the woman's eyes, tried to focus on her thoughts, but her efforts were futile.

"They're code words," the woman answered, "in case the mission is compromised and you have to abort." Jess looked at her with confusion. From what she could tell, they've been planning the mission since the first reports on the Winter Soldier bombing Vienna came in. They've been working hard on the logistics of the operation before they even brought her in. She would admire their tenacity if it weren't for the fact that they were basically modern-day Nazis. So, why even consider aborting a mission that was so dear to them and that they so arrogantly discussed occasionally in front of her? Even if things went south, they'd probably leave her and the others, whoever they were, left for dead, anyways.

"Code words?" Jess questioned again. "I mean, yeah, sure, hit me with it."

"Very well," the woman's eyes returned to the paper. She cleared her throat before speaking again. "Zhelaniye, rzhavy, semnadtsat—"

"Whoa, wait," Jess interrupted, not understanding a word she said. "What the heck did you just say?"

"Zhelaniye, rzhavy—"

"No, no, I mean I can't understand what you're saying," Jess said. "Why are the code words in Russian?"

"It doesn't matter," the woman replied, looking impatient now. "Just remember the sounds. They need to be in Russian."

Jess shook her head, giving the woman a look that easily translated to suspicion. "I can't understand let alone pronounce what you're saying."

"Then, you better hurry and learn," she replied, returning to her clipped voice. "Have they given you the tranquilizer?"

Jess shook her head.

"I'm not really comfortable with—"

"It's necessary for you to focus, isn't it?"

"Well, yeah, but," Jess wanted to explain, but she couldn't find the words. The tranquilizer quieted the noise in her head alright, but, as with all things, had a side effect. Sure, her headaches subsided, but the pain was replaced by a dizzying high that took away her sense of control. The doses started out small, but had to be increased with every injection like her body had developed some sort of resistance against it. Ever since the first injection, Jess's headaches hurt more when the effects of the tranquilizer wore off.

"But what?" the woman said, getting Jess's attention again.

"I'm afraid of what'll happen to me without it," Jess confessed. "I mean, I'm no scientist, but it's a drug. Once I get out, I'll go through some sort of withdrawal wouldn't I? Even if you wipe my mind and give me the 'cure' you apparently have, my body is still going to have to deal without the tranquilizer."

The woman nodded her head once and said, "I wouldn't worry about that. Especially when you should focus on the mission at hand." Jess caught a roll of her eyes before they returned to the paper. "Now, how is the progress on locating the Soldier?"

Jess sighed. She's been trying to find the man ever since her handlers had started to trust her. So, about a month ago.

"I haven't been able to track him down," she said with a shrug.

The woman looked at her pointedly. "You've had plenty of time to do so. What have you been doing in your cell this entire time?" she asked, her voice becoming more clipped with her frustration.

"Oh, you know, the usual: sleeping, crying, having existential crises," she answered, looking at the woman straight in the eye.

The woman sighed and shook her head. "This is not the time for your idiocy." She eyed Jess, contemplating something for a moment. "Pirogov!" she yelled, her voice clipped with her Russian accent.

The door burst open. Jess's handlers jumped into the room, one brother nearly tripping over the other.

"Yes?" they answered in unison.

"Get the girl," the woman ordered. Jess's eyes widened, taking in a deep breath as she readied herself to be taken away. When no hands came, she turned around to find the two men gone.

"Where did—"

Before Jess could finish her question, a sharp scream rang out, drowning out the rest of the noise in her head. Jess clutched her head, pulling at her hair to distract herself with a different pain than what was ripping through her mind.

"No, no, stop," Jess pleaded, shaking her head vigorously. "Don't, she's just a kid."

"Find Barnes," the woman replied, unaffected by Jess's current state.

"I _can't_ ," Jess pressed as the screams grew louder.

"You can't or you won't?" the woman hissed. "You seemed to have no trouble finding your team."

The screaming stopped with a whimper before Jess was hit with a feeling of defeat. She could feel the girl surrendering as she felt tears fall down the girl's soft, freckled face. Jess felt her own eyes well up at the girl's pain.

Jess wiped her eyes, smudging the grime on her face, before answering. "I was thinking about it and I think it's because they're my kind. The Soldier, he's, he's still human."

"A year," the woman started, "You've had year to hone your abilities."

"Yeah, a year of torture, experiments, and abuse," Jess spat. "I definitely had plenty of time and opportunities to get this in top shape," she said with another slap to her forehead.

Before the woman could scold Jess again, the doors opened. Jess turned, her eyes heavy, to see the young girl being held tightly by her arms.

The two brothers let go of her, letting her run to Jess. She curled her body against Jess's rigid frame, hiding her face against the telepath's stomach. With each whimper and sniffle, Jess felt her anger rise.

"Jess," the girl whispered between sobs, "they gave me the needle again." Jess tightened her arms around the girl, holding her closer.

"I'm sorry," Jess whispered back, removing one of her gloves and running her hand through the girl's frizzy hair. "I'm here, I'm sorry, I won't let them touch you."

Jess shot the two men a glare before her eyes returned to the woman still sitting in front of her. The woman, looking visibly disgusted at the girls, gave Jess a crooked smile.

"Find Barnes," the woman repeated. "Or the girl will be terminated."

Jess felt the body underneath her freeze before she registered what the woman said. Through gritted teeth and a burst of energy from her anger, Jess shifted the girl behind her and lunged at the woman. Jess's body hit the desk with a thud, her free hand grabbing the woman's neck. Jess let her long, thick fingernails dig into the woman's skin, eliciting a shrill scream that Jess felt vibrate under palm.

Suddenly, before she could focus and enter the woman's mind, Jess felt that familiar pain shoot up her head from her own neck. The shock loosened Jess's grip on the woman, making her entire body go limp. Jess spasmed on the desk, watching helplessly as the faceless man brought a needle to her neck. As she slowly slipped away, Jess tried reaching out to the little girl still sobbing on the cot, but the screaming darkness in her mind took her out before she could give one last word of comfort.


	2. Chapter 2

Jess never liked running. Sure, sometimes it was necessary, but the sweat alone made her want to dive off a cliff instead. Which, apparently, she can do right now given her current circumstances.

Her hair clung to her face, partly covering her eyes as she struggled to make her way through the thick forest. Why was she running? Thorns and branches from the undergrowth sliced her burning legs, but she kept going, too afraid of what was chasing after her. She could feel it was gaining speed, closing the distance between them at an alarming rate.

Jess pushed her legs to take longer strides, causing the burning to reach up to her thighs and hips. Birds flew past her through the trees, singing, probably mocking how slow she was. Screw telepathy, why couldn't she have super speed instead?

The fog wasn't much help either. The heavy mist made it even harder to breathe, swelling up her lungs and forcing her to take short breaths. How the hell did she get here? Somehow, she didn't passed out. Yet. Adrenaline, probably.

Thankfully, Jess did have a plan. Up ahead, a black mountain, jagged and somehow reflecting the light of the sun, towered over the forest. If she could find a place to hide there, she'll be fine, right?

Through her matted hair, Jess saw the base of the mountain when the dark structures, thinner columns, came into view. Her eyes stung as the sweat blurred her vision. She blinked quickly, trying to replace the sweat with tears, but the action made it worse. She made her way through the brush, which was thinning out, clumsily now, her arms flying out occasionally to balance herself before she could trip.

As Jess got closer to the hills, she took in the sight of the entire formation. The pillars turned out to serve as a base for something even more massive. From her angle, she could make out what looked like paws. The paws, with sharp, shiny claws hanging off the edge of the hills, held up the breathtaking sculpture of a cat. No, not just a cat. A tiger?

Before Jess could confirm what kind of feline it was, a shadow fell over the bushes in front of her, taking her breath away. She turned, her foot catching on a root or a rock or maybe even just air knowing her luck, and she fell to the ground.

Jess barely registered any noise, aside from the sounds of the forest, when her pursuer landed in front of her.

Rather pathetically, Jess tried to get away, using her feet and her elbows to push herself up so she can book it. Her pursuer, his face covered by a mask, reached down to pin her arms against the ground. With her legs still free, Jess kicked at his chest, sending pain up her limbs, but the man didn't even budge.

Jess's eyes squinted against the sun, laying defeated but remained rigid, until the man shifted so his shadow shielded her view. Heart pounding against her chest, her vision became clearer. Jess realized that the mask only covered half of his face. The rest of it, well really just the skin around his eyes, was smudged with the worst case of post-crying mascara Jess had ever seen. It would've been funny if it weren't for his death glare.

His eyes had an intense focus, sending cold, blue daggers into Jess's own brown, widened pair. The stare made Jess even more uncomfortable, but she was afraid that breaking her eyes away would confirm her rising fear to the man. They stayed in that position, staring at each other until the man blinked first.

In a surprisingly soft, but firm voice, the man asked, "Who are you?"

Before Jess could answer, a sharp pain pierced her neck, her body convulsing in response as it spread through her. The man jumped away, but kept his hold on her arms, his glare dissolving into a look of concern and confusion.

Jess's dreamscape started to break, literally. She felt the soft, wet ground below her slowly harden to cold, rough metal while the green surrounding her cracked into countless blue and yellow shards like glass. The soldier's face cracked above her like a contemporary Picasso, threatening to fall apart. Suddenly, Jess remembered the reason why she was dreaming of the man or rather, why she was disturbing his own.

Jess tried to fight back the pain, tried to focus on her mind rather than her body. If she could just focus on her dream, her projection, she could save herself from this mess. The shocks were unrelenting. Jess could feel every nerve in her body scream and suffer trying to pull her back to reality. She had to hold on, concentrate for just a few more seconds and bite back at the man who tortured her mercilessly for months now.

Through gritted teeth, Jess closed her eyes, loosening her mental grasp on the masked man and carefully let herself return to her own body. Jess projected blasts of pain to her enemy, her mind struggling in the imbalance between her grip on her vision and the pull to get back to reality. She felt her torturer pull back, her attacks proving successful. Slowly, the shocks subsided.

Jess immediately slipped back into her vision, returning to the soldier's mind. She forced herself to open her heavy eyes and her sight cleared again. Jess knew she only had seconds to spare before Sparky could recover.

The soldier still hovered over her, his eyes searching hers, still intense, but less harsh.

"Hydra—" she choked out, her mouth dry. Once the word slipped out, Jess immediately regretted it. The soldier tightened his grip on her, digging her body into the soil under her, and the cold, hard look returned to his eyes. Jess shook her head and a whimper escaped her throat. "No! I'm sorry, stop, they have me. Hydra has me."

Her words had no positive effect on the man, whose own breathing now rose to almost match hers. She really should learn how to think before she speaks. It would be really helpful in situations like this.

"They're coming for you, they want you back, you need to—"

And right on time, electricity overwhelmed Jess's body once again, yanking her back. Jess struggled against the feeling again. Barnes clearly isn't trusting her after her stupid, unfinished answer to his question. Her hands tried to get a hold of the soldier's arms, but his grip restricted her. As she felt herself being pulled away, her real body screaming for her to get back, she managed out a last word, a name, to her last hope.

"Pirogov."

* * *

Bucky sat in his usual place at the table across from Steve, his plate full of untouched food. They had just gotten back from their morning run with Sam who was happily filling himself up with his usual breakfast of eggs, oatmeal, and OJ. Steve stared at his best friend with concern, almost mirroring the assassin's furrowed brow and pursed lips.

"Hey, Buck," Steve started, trying to meet his eyes, "You okay?" When his question was met with silence, save for Sam's loud chewing, Steve tried again. "Bucky? You not hungry?"

Bucky continued to stare off into space. Clearly, something heavy was on his mind and Steve wanted to know what that something was.

Bucky had come a long way since T'Challa had taken them in and pooled as many resources as needed to take care of his best friend. Once his rehabilitation started, more of Bucky's memories—even ones that involved people other than Steve— slowly returned to him. Steve was there to help connect and fill in as much of the fragments as he could without making Bucky remember his old life from his point of view. Even as Bucky remembered more of his life before the fall, Steve knew his best friend won't be the same exact man from Brooklyn he had known and loved all those years ago. Somehow, through fate's twisted ways, he was back in his life. Changed, sure, but still Bucky. And Steve, a different man too, but still Steve. And Steve still loved Bucky all the same.

As Steve got lost in looking at the man across from him with affection, Sam set his glass down loudly after gulping the last of his OJ. With a sigh of contentment, Sam's gaze moved from his empty plate to the two men, not oblivious to the scene in front of him.

He crossed his arms and addressed Steve with a nod. "Trouble in paradise?"

Sam's voice snapped Bucky out of his trance, his expression instinctively turning sour. Bucky turned his gaze towards Sam, looked him straight in the eye, and said, "The bird's still here? I didn't notice."

"I wouldn't have noticed you either if it weren't for Steve eyeing you like that again."

Steve took the moment to interject, grabbing Bucky's eyes.

"Something on your mind, Buck?"

Bucky sighed and rubbed his eyes. "I had a weird dream last night." With a pointed look to his concerned friend, he added, "I'm fine, Steve."

"What happened?" Steve asked still determined to find out what was bothering him.

"It was just a dream," Bucky shrugged, "It felt a little too real that's all." His eyes flicked over to Sam who was at least trying to hide his concern.

"Sorry, guys," Sam started, taking the hint. "I gotta go wake Wanda up for some PT." Sam knew Bucky still wasn't comfortable with opening up around him, so he let the man have his space when he saw he needed it. With a nod to his friends, Sam took his plate and left.

As soon as Sam was out of the room, Bucky let go of his façade and glanced at Steve with troubled eyes. "I had a dream. There was a girl running away from me."

"Was it Rebecca, again?"

"No, no, looked nothing like her; she was older. Probably just another dame, but uhhh," Bucky paused, eyeing Steve carefully. "Does the name Pirogov sound familiar?"

Steve's eyebrows bunched up again, an annoyingly familiar sight to Bucky nowadays. "Is it Hydra? Bucky, we've talked about this," he started with a shake of his head.

Bucky pursed his lips at the man, but kept his expression soft. "It's been bugging me all morning, Steve. Can I at least ask Natal—Natasha about it?" Bucky couldn't quite shake the assassin-turned-superhero's old name from his lips. Of course, that part of his life was over now.

"I don't know," Steve shook his head, another familiar sight. "We should leave that part of your life alone, especially now that you're better and in a safer place." Steve sighed at Bucky's frustrated expression. He knew full well how difficult it was for his best friend to have to be protected, to be so vulnerable when all he wanted was to live his life and make some use out of it.

"It won't hurt to look," Bucky offered. "I can handle it."

"I'm sorry, Buck. There's nothing we can do about it."

Bucky rolled his eyes at this, losing a bit of patience.

"What?"

"I know we can do something about it. I know where you and the others have been the past few months."

Bucky crossed his arms. Steve tensed. Neither man was enjoying this particular conversation.

"I told you, finding a way to get back out there. We can't hide here for the rest of our lives, Buck."

Bucky noticed the perspiration starting to build up on Steve's temple. Sure they had just gotten back from from their morning workout, but the man didn't even break a sweat running for two hours straight.

"You're a shitty liar, Steve." Especially when it came to Bucky. "I saw the leads; you've been shutting down bases. Without me." Bucky flexed his arms, an instinctive response he was still trying to shake off.

Steve sighed and slid his hand down his face. His best friend was the greatest assassin the world has ever seen. His girlfriend was the best spy the Red Room, the KBG, and SHIELD have ever had. His partner—well the best lying Sam had ever done was keeping the Falcon a secret for five minutes, but he's still the best, too. The point is: why couldn't that skill for duplicity rub off on him?

"Look, Buck," Steve began.

Bucky immediately cut him off. "Steve. I just want to help."

Steve sighed again and ran his hand through his hair. "I—I don't know. You'll have to be cleared."

Bucky scoffed and rolled his eyes. "That never stopped you." Steve laughed, earning him a hint of amusement in Bucky's eyes.

* * *

Who was she kidding? These people had no intention of keeping her alive let alone curing her once they get what they want. Jess had to get out and get out fast. They were getting impatient and frustrated and will only grow suspicious of her as time passes.

As she paced around her cell after waking up from a shock induced sleep, Jess considered her limited options. Planning an escape with the other inhumans they held was too dangerous. There was only one other person she could trust in this place, but she was so young. She was desperate to leave, but she wasn't going to risk the little girl's life on what will probably be a half-assed, futile plan.

There were so many stupid variables just for a rescue to happen, one of which was time. Only time will tell if her plan—or at least part of a plan, one that she hoped would somehow write itself as it came along—will work. Would Barnes even think twice about what happened? After all, to him it would've been just a dream. Jess lay in her cot again, replaying the events of her message in her head.

Barnes had been under Hydra's control for over 70 years, surely the guy had some run-ins with some delusional inhumans, right? If those two idiotic brothers that were supposedly her handlers had any ounce of truth in their bragging, then their family was a part of this sick regime for generations. Could their parents, their grandparents maybe, or their distant third uncle's cousin once removed have crossed paths with the Winter Soldier? Or was Jess just caving in to some sad, pathetic, blinded hope?

The Pirogovs had left in frustration after Jess told them once again she couldn't find Barnes. While she was vaguely telling the truth, she chose to leave out the details that could help them put two and two together and ultimately find the man without her help. And without the need for her powers, Jess knew she would've been dead meat. Well, more so than she already was.

When she first pushed out her consciousness into the world in search of Barnes's own, she went blindly. First of all, Jess wasn't at all informed of the logistics of her powers as the sushi failed to come with a manual on how to manage splitting headaches, block out thoughts that literally aren't your own, and find former brainwashed assassins when your life depended on it. Second, she had no connection to the man—well aside from the whole Hydra thing—neither physical nor emotional, so locating his mind among seven billion others was a bit of a pain in the ass.

Jess loved it when she had to get clever. She learned from the idiots that Barnes had gone AWOL with Captain America right after a fight with Tony Stark in Siberia when they first started giving her all the recent info on the man. Barnes was never seen again after the incident, but the good ol' Captain apparently resurfaced to break his team out of prison and went off the grid for the last time. Clearly, Barnes and the Captain found refuge in some safe, isolated place because, at this point, you had to be living in space to not know what the men looked like. Scratch that, Thor and Loki were apparently a thing, so then: you had to be living outside of the galaxy to not know their what they looked like? Anyways, very few places in the world were still truly isolated and there were even less in which Barnes and his friends could survive without some sort of help.

So, they had to be getting help from someone, right? Well, with the wounds probably still too fresh and what with the United Nations breathing down his neck, Stark was definitely the first person out even if he wanted to. According to the not-too-hushed conversations of the Pirogovs, SHIELD has been busy staying on the down low and dealing with the influx of inhumans, so they were too busy to deal with the more international conflicts. (If only she got kidnapped by them and not the assholes she had to deal with now.) But even if they wanted, SHIELD would not have risked getting involved with the Captain, not when they were still trying to rebuild their organization.

At that point, Jess knew she was getting slightly off track. Who else would offer help and keep it so low key that even Hydra couldn't find them? She considered all the tech savvy, at least vaguely shady countries that could harbor international fugitives. Then, Jess immediately crossed off the countries that insisted on being vocal and active on the world's stage, places too dangerous to hide a whole team of wanted criminals. The U.S. was too nosy, China and India too crowded, and Russia was too ridiculous. (Besides, she already checked through the winter death trap once she got into her first tranquilizer lulls.) Jess brought it down to a handful, but one country stuck out once she considered who else was involved in the whole mess.

Wakanda, a place that Jess and many others have wondered about for years as it remained hidden safely away from the world's eyes, was her best bet.

After searching through hundreds of minds, she stumbled upon her target. She let her mind slip into his. She had trespassed on Barnes's dream, something she felt totally uncomfortable with, but, well, more pressing problems were at hand.

Was it going to work? Should she have searched for some one else to help? The more she thought about it, Jess began to believe dragging Barnes into this was a mistake. Assuming he'll actually find any meaning to his dream, anyways.

Frustrated, and her mind pounding from all the work it did in the past few hours, Jess turned to her side and pressed her back to the wall behind her. She settled into the cold, numbing feeling of the wall and soon enough, exhaustion took the best of her and she fell into a deep sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Surprisingly, getting the intel from Natasha didn't take too long. Bucky knew Natasha was the best when it came to gathering information for the team, but he was impressed by how much she got just from a last name. Most of the records about Pirogov were held by the KGB, confirming Bucky's suspicion that the man was Hydra or at least had some connections to them. Steve and the others quickly went to work piecing the information together and tracking his whereabouts for the past few years.

As they worked, Bucky followed closely behind Steve, offering help and advice about Hydra's presence in Russia when he could.

"Most of the Hydra bases have been taken down in that area," Steve began, getting everyone's attention. Sam and Bucky flanked him as Wanda sat with Clint and Scott on the other side of the kitchen table. "But Bucky knows of a few underground hideouts that Pirogov could be using."

Scott chimed in, still fairly new to the whole Avengers business. "Wouldn't he want to stay away from any bases? Stay on the down low?"

It was Sam's turn to respond. "Well, that's the thing. When SHIELD was brought down, he did go on the down low."

"He went through a few cities around Asia," Steve interjected. "But then he went off the radar until—"

"Until we found some records of him in Manila," Sam continued.

"Nice city," Clint commented with a nod.

"Yeah," Sam replied, quirking a brow at the man. "Anyways, after that, Romanoff gave us his last sighting, which was a parking ticket in Kiev."

"Pfft, rookie mistake," Scott said, shaking his head and nudging Wanda, asking for agreement. She only shrugged with a small smile; she's been in his place before.

"So, he must be up to something shady if he went back to Russia and went completely off the grid about a year ago," Sam said, wanting to acknowledge Lang's comment, but needing to maintain some seriousness.

Wanda, having stayed quiet during the debrief and noticing a certain super soldier had as well, asked, "So, are we going to hit each hideout or set up surveillance first?" She was looking directly at Bucky and cleared her throat when he didn't notice. Steve gave him a soft nudge.

Bucky's eyes shot up and made contact with everyone in front of him before settling on Wanda. "Surveillance." Silence followed and before Bucky could realize they wanted him to elaborate, Sam continued for him.

"If we hit each one, he'll see us coming," the man explained, "He'll get away before we can even find out what he's doing."

"Fair enough," Clint said. "I could use the change in weather. Nat's probably lonely up there, too," he added, shooting a look at Steve. He snickered when his comment got him an eye roll from the boss.

"So, uh, are we all going?" Scott asked, looking slightly distressed, but enthusiastic as always.

Steve shook his head. "No, you and Wanda will stay here. We'll set up everything when we get there and stay for a while to keep a better eye on the hideouts. We'll send you updates and call if we need you."

"Alright, we're holding down the fort, kid!" Scott offered a high five to Wanda, which she returned with a laugh.

"You mean when you need us, Steve," Wanda corrected before the Cap continued. Steve smirked in response.

"Don't get cocky, kid," Clint said as he stood up. He reached over and ruffled her waves before he made his way to the other side of the table. Wanda rolled her eyes and, with a flick of her finger, tickled the archer's ear. The motion caused Clint to flinch, cricking his neck with a yelp.

As Scott emitted a light laugh, Steve turned to Bucky and whispered, "Can we talk?"

Bucky sighed and crossed his arms, already knowing what Steve wanted to say. "I'm coming with you."

Steve's lips tightened into a thin line. He motioned for Bucky to exit the room and the pair left their team behind to talk alone. "Buck, I think it's better if you stay here. We're just doing surveillance; we'll call if we decide to make a hit."

Bucky shook his head. "So, what, I wasn't cleared?"

Steve shrugged. "Yeah, they—the doctors—didn't think it would be a good idea either." He shrugged again and slumped against the wall of the hallway before crossing his arms.

"Did they? Did these doctors think Lang and Wanda aren't ready either?"

"Sorry, Buck, but—"

Bucky scoffed. "Come on, Steve. Lang was cleared months ago and Wanda's perfectly capable of handling herself in the field."

"You don't know that—"

There was shuffling down the hallway and the men turned to see everyone filing out of the conference room. Clint and Scott were engaged in a conversation. Wanda trailed behind them, but not before glancing at Steve.

Steve's breath hitched. "Wanda," he called after her softly, but she had turned the corner and left. Sam watched the exchange from the door and turned to Steve.

"Come on, man," Sam started. "We talked about this." He strode over to the two men and crossed his arms. "You have to stop babying them. How else are they going to get back out there?"

Bucky stared at Sam as he addressed Steve. Bucky wasn't all too surprised when Steve told him what Sam did before taking up the wings again. Sam knew how difficult it was to get back in touch with the world, how to find your place and purpose after having to start all over again following a life's worth of trauma and tragedy. He also knew how to treat people with those struggles and how to help them find their way back into the world.

He's still an idiot though.

"I don't have a good feeling about this one," Steve explained. "I don't want to risk it until we have all the facts."

Sam took a moment to consider his words. "They're not going to be so happy with staying behind next time." With that, he nodded at Bucky and went back down the hall without another word.

After a moment of silence, Bucky sighed. "At least let me go and help with surveillance. I'll stay behind when we decide to make the hit," Bucky offered, somehow softening his voice. As stubborn as he was, Steve wasn't totally unwilling to compromise so long as it was reasonable.

Steve raised his brow. "Would you?"

"I'll take it easy my first time out if it makes you feel better," Bucky confirmed with a shrug.

Steve smiled, but shook his head with a shaky laugh. "Surveillance. That's it."

Bucky nodded. "That's it." With a glint in his eye, he relaxed his stance and strutted down the hall, Steve following closely behind.

* * *

Russia is pretty damn cold. For someone who periodically went under ice for seventy years of his life, Bucky should be used to this, but turns out spending a year in a tropical paradise can really change a man. The hideout—one of Barton's assignments— was dug right through the base of a mountain. From the scraps of info circulated by the intel dump a couple of years back, Barton was able to decrypt the data. The others were going through the information as Bucky sat in the corner, warming up his metal arm by one of the generators.

His new arm was state-of-the-art; the titanium being replaced fully with vibranium to make it stronger and more powerful than ever. The technology in Wakanda was way ahead of the rest of the world's, including Stark's. The engineers had asked if he wanted any new features added in. When Bucky refused, they only nodded, but Bucky sensed their disappointment. Before they left, Bucky came up with a request. He asked for a cooling system; the heat generated from his old metal arm sometimes burned his skin when he used it too much. To their delight and with scoffs that indicated the task was a piece of cake, they built and attached the vibranium arm a few days later. To Bucky's annoyance the cooling system worked a little too well.

"Shit," Steve whispered, his brows tightening closer together.

"I know," Clint agreed. "We might have to call them in."

"No, not yet," Steve said, his expression remaining unchanged.

Sam sighed. "Steve, that place looks like it's full of enhanced. We're going to need Wanda and Scott on this."

From his place, Bucky grunted a noise of agreement. "Bird-Man's right."

Steve turned his eyes from the tablet to Bucky. "Not yet," he repeated firmly.

"Steve, come on, these are Inhumans we're talking about. Who knows who's a prisoner and who's Hydra," Clint reasoned. After a brief pause, he added, "Wanda would."

"You're going to need back-up if this turns out to be a rescue," Bucky added in.

"Tin-Man's got a point."

"Let's just wait," Steve said, holding up his hand in defense. "Clint, were you able to get an estimate from the heat sensors?"

"Two dozen, maybe," Clint answered. "Walls are pretty thick."

"Movements?" Sam asked next.

"Got a few standing guard, a few blobs are pretty active, the rest stay pretty much within a ten by ten area, so I'm assuming prisoners."

"So, we're even on prisoners and Hydra?" Steve asked.

Bucky sighed, removed his arm from the generator, and stretched it. "Steve," he began, seeing right through his question. "You can't count on the prisoners to be on your side let alone fight."

"And I doubt they're in a good state to fight," Sam added. He shook his head and made a noise of amusement. "We're agreeing way too much today, Tin-Man."

Bucky rolled his eyes. "Don't get used to it."

Steve put his tablet down and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Alright, get some sleep. I'll keep watch and go through the rest," nodding at the tablet before him.

Bucky stood up and shook his head. "I'll stay up." He grabbed the tablet and leaned against the table. "Since that's my only job here."

Steve sighed and wiped his hand down his face. He was not in the mood to contest anyone, especially Bucky, any further. "Alright, you've got four hours," Steve said to Clint and Sam.

"That's double from last time," Clint commented. "Nice." The man picked up his bow and quiver, patted Bucky's shoulder, and left the room, letting out a loud yawn as he went through the corridor.

Sam made to leave next, taking care to not forget his wings in the room with Bucky for four straight hours, and motioned for Steve to follow him. With a nod to Bucky, Steve exited the room with Sam, leaving his friend behind scrolling through the tablet in silence.

Bucky didn't mind the silence. Sometimes, he preferred it. Not that he wanted to be alone, not really, but it let him relax a bit more which was always nice.

There wasn't much info left to look through, so before long Bucky set the tablet down and was left to his own thoughts. His fingers itched for something to do and Bucky started regretting not bringing his journal along with him. Keeping record of each day of his new (new new) life helped him keep himself together as the doctors peeled back each layer of his mind and tried to figure out how to get Hydra's brainwashing out of his head.

Bucky blinked at nothing and shook his head. Remembering those earlier days of his treatment was never a good idea.

Bucky reached for the tablet again and swiped across the screen to unlock it. With curiosity and four more hours to kill, Bucky went through the internet, a new thing he never got to use until he escaped Hydra. Bouncing back and forth between articles, blog posts, and cellphone videos, Bucky took the time to look up info on Inhumans. He's sure he's met a few during the Hydra days and he'd seen news reports when he went off the grid in Bucharest, but—aside from the fact that they're enhanced—he didn't know much about them.

"What the hell," Bucky whispered, his eyes skimming over a statement by the U.S. President. Bucky was fully aware the world was different now and that a lot of things have been brought out into the open ever since Stark decided to become Iron Man. But humans with alien DNA to make them enhanced? That was too much.

More time passed and Bucky's eyes became heavy. Trying to fight the urge to sleep, he got up and stretched, muscles aching from not moving for too long. Bucky grabbed his jacket from the generator where it had been warming up and slipped it on before making his way into the hall.

The jet was quiet, save for the low hums of the vents. Bucky made his way through, stopping by the weapons room to check if the others were okay before heading to the flight deck.

To the outside world, the jet was nothing more than awkward lump in the Russian snow. To whoever was in the pilot's seat, the outside world was dark and grey and filtered by the falling sleet and snow.

Fumbling with the buttons, Bucky finally got the night vision up. He scanned the area for anything out of the ordinary, but everything was fine. Switching to the heat scanner just in case, he saw nothing else except for the faint blob in the distance they were keeping an eye on anyways. Bucky leaned back into his seat, scratching his beard with newfound frustration. He was definitely regretting not bringing a book along.

How did he—a military sniper—get so impatient? Even the Winter Soldier didn't have a problem with waiting around, sometimes with no success in a target emerging.

Back then, before Hydra, he had a job to do and people to protect: Steve and the other Howling Commandos. He was a soldier, a good soldier, an honorable one. But now? Now that everything's changed? With Steve insisting he stay on the sidelines, sometimes he felt like he's not really needed. Maybe, that's why. Maybe, that's why he's always itching to do something after getting better. Since when was he the one trying to prove someone wrong?

Bucky slumped against the chair, placing his head in his hands. Spending a year with shrinks made him way too self-analytical. If only he could just sleep.

* * *

Okay, so that was a terrible idea.

Jess pressed her ear against her cell door, trying to make out the muffled words of the men outside. She cursed the initial effects of the tranquilizer, ironically making it hard to focus on listening to a conversation let alone intruding on someone's thoughts. One of the idiots was shouting, presumably at the other, but she couldn't even hear any responses from him.

Frustrated, Jess pushed herself off the door and crawled to the foot of her cot. She sandwiched her head between her knees, trying to focus her mind and fight the dizzying effects of the serum. She took in long, shallow breaths and counted to ten with each rise and fall of chest. As her head cleared, she slowly started to reach out with her mind. With her eyes closed shut, Jess pushed past the walls of her cell and searched for the sources of the noise outside.

"They're not ready," the one with no face tried to reason. Despite the lack of features, Jess saw a look of worry on the man's face through his brother's eyes. His skin was pursed where his lips should have been and wrinkled where his eyebrows would have met.

Jess felt a sudden wave of anger from his brother. His cheeks suddenly burning red, he turned his eyes away from the faceless man's face.

"But he's here," he said through gritted teeth. At those words the man hissed, his hand flying up to his forehead to rub at the shot of pain.

Jess gasped, out loud and in Sparky's mind. She reeled herself back from his consciousness, finding her hands gripping at the bed frame in front of her.

Before Jess could recover, she heard the sound of Sparky—outright screaming now— coming closer and closer to her cell. She was suddenly aware of her heart pounding against her chest and a wave of panic surged through her as she picked herself up off the floor. Jess scrambled into her cot and turned to the wall before shutting her eyes. She brought her breaths down to a slower, calmer pace, but her heart insisted on beating erratically against her chest.

The locks on her door clicked all at once and Jess felt the hairs on her body go up as the two men entered the cell.

"We know you're awake," the quieter brother said. Jess heard his small feet take a step forward.

Jess noisily let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding. Body still tense, she twisted herself around and forced herself to look him in the eye.

"What now?" she asked, her voice cracking from disuse. She hasn't talked to anyone, not to the man who brought her food and her injections, not to the idiots, not even to the little girl since she made contact with Barnes. "I said I can't find him."

Sparky, looking more pissed off than usual, gave her a smirk that also made him look a bit deranged.

"Looks like he found you," he said, his eyes glinting even in the dim light. Jess tried to fight back her own smirk, but failed, twisting her face into a dangerously smug look.

"Jess," the faceless one said softly, taking another step forward. "I thought we had an understanding."

Jess scoffed. She sat up slowly and crossed her legs. "I thought we did, too, but the whole kidnapping a freed man just to turn him back into a weapon again thing kinda threw me off after a while."

"Well then, what are we to do with you now?" Sparky asked, his fingers lighting up with electricity.

"Whoa, okay, put those jazz hands away, Sparky, there's no need for that," Jess said with a nervous chuckle. Clearly not having learned her lesson with the unnecessary sass, Sparky raised his hand up, seething at her.

"Brother, no," the faceless one said without turning around, his voice low.

Sparky didn't listen and, with each step he took, the glow from his hands grew brighter. He pulled his arm back, ready to strike Jess, but—before Jess could flinch—he was thrown back against the wall by an unseen force.

"I said no!" The faceless one turned towards his brother whose sparks died out as he struggled to get up from the floor. "We don't kill our own kind!"

Sparky hissed through his bared teeth as he stood up. Red in the face and boiling over with rage, he marched out of Jess's cell out of sight.

"So, you don't just somehow talk without a mouth," Jess squeaked from the corner of her cot. The faceless man turned back to her. He looked tense, too, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

Without warning, he grabbed Jess's arm and pulled her up, ignoring her protests.

"Hey! What the hell?!" Jess yelled, trying to free herself from his grip. His hand only tightened around her as he dragged her out of the cell and into the hall.

"You betrayed us," he said, an actual hint of disappointment in his voice.

"And you're surprised?" Jess asked rhetorically in response. She took in her surroundings as they passed by each cell. The guards were gone from their posts and some of the cells were opened. She couldn't get a good look inside as they rushed through the corridor, but, to her, they felt empty. "Where is everyone?"

"Prepping," the man replied.

Jess felt a knot form in her throat. She swallowed hard.

"Prep for what?" But she knew the answer.

"Go get ready, Jessabell." With that, the man opened the door just ahead of them, keeping his firm grasp on Jess's arm with his other hand reaching for her gloves. "There will be no need for these."

The man wrenched them off her hands before pushing her inside the room.

"Take some time to settle into the tranquilizer if you have to," he said, his tone tight and controlled. He disappeared behind the door of a cabinet for a second and reappeared with a bundle of clothes in his hands.

"Oh, so, we're skiing," Jess quipped, eyeing the poofy jacket on top of the pile. He handed her the clothes before letting out a heavy sigh.

"Not quite," he replied, walking out of the room, his back to the door. "I'll be waiting outside." He slipped out and shut the door, leaving Jess alone.

Well, shit. Jess stared at the change of clothes in her hands for a moment. The Winter Soldier is here. He's here and the Pirogovs are scared.

For a second, Jess felt a bit smug at the idea that she messed up the idiots' plans. Barnes is on their turf, but he's still got the upper hand by catching them off guard and having at least one inhuman on his side. He couldn't have come alone either; he must have some sort of back-up.

Jess's heart started beating a little too quickly again, but this time with a hint of excitement. This is her chance, her only chance, to escape this godforsaken place and the people it housed.

Jess took a second to take a deep breath. She closed her eyes and tried to reach out to the man standing guarding outside, testing her abilities. If she can reach out to Pirogov, then it wouldn't hurt too much to find Barnes if he's around. Jess felt her head start to heat up as her mind ached, but she kept trying. She tried to sort through the noise in her head, but there was too much. The inhumans in the facility were a raging mess of emotions and thoughts, pulling at her focus from all directions. Jess clutched at her head with her free hand, tugging at her hair in frustration. Maybe out in the snow she'll have better luck.

Hands shaking, Jess unbuttoned her jumper and wiggled out of the thin fabric. She pulled on the white pants and matching snow boots before slipping her arms into the poofy jacket. Jess zipped everything up and pulled on a new pair of gloves, reveling in their softness. Heart beating fast, Jess eyed the door before forcing herself to step forward. Her body suddenly felt heavy, but she trudged on and opened the door.

As promised, the faceless man stood right outside and was already motioning for her to follow when Jess popped her head out of the room. He was dressed in similar clothing, but with a blaring accessory. A machine gun hung over his shoulder like he somehow needed a weapon to hurt someone.

Jess shook her head before falling into step next to him.

"I thought you weren't into the whole killing thing," Jess spat, eyeing the weapon that was somehow angled perfectly to point at her head.

Pirogov huffed. "We're bringing in the asset. I'll take every precaution."

Jess shrugged. "Not like you've got a whole squad of inhumans, right?"

"Clearly, I can't trust them to follow orders."

At that, Jess snorted. "Fair enough."

They rounded a corner and Jess felt a sudden change in temperature. Up ahead, a miserable looking woman stood at the corner. As they got closer, Jess recognized her as one of the guards she used to annoy before her tranquilizer days. The woman's body radiated heat and Jess felt a pang of stress with it.

"They're ready for you," the woman stated, nodding down the hall to her left. Jess followed Pirogov and the woman to the room at the end of it.

As Jess entered, her eyes searched for a familiar set. The little girl sat cross-legged in the back behind everyone else, tears streaming down her face. Jess rushed over, ignoring the yelps and protests from the others.

"Hey, you," Jess whispered before sitting down in front of her friend. She reached over and wiped her face, feeling the warmth through her gloves. "Don't worry, we're going to be okay."

If Jess could slap herself mentally she would because God knows what was going to happen next. Even if Barnes was here to take down the Pirogovs, would he have even considered there might be prisoners? Would he even anticipate a rescue mission? The amount of hope left in Jess was too little for her to be confident in her mess of a plan. She was tired of having to fake some of her hope for her own sake, but if it could help her friend keep going, then damn it all; she'll turn into plastic.

Jess moved her hands to the girl's shoulders and rubbed them comfortingly. Behind her, a harsh voice spoke.

"Everyone, line up," Sparky ordered. Jess turned her head, glaring up at him. When their eyes met, Sparky's expression grew furious. "You two first."

Under Jess's hands, the girl froze and Jess felt the tension that had been building up break. A fresh wave of tears accompanied the wails of the girl, angering Sparky even more.

"Shut her up!" Sparky yelled, pointing a finger at the girl. Instinctively, Jess turned and shielded her, covering her from his view and maintaining her glare at the man. She reached behind her and laced her fingers with the little girl's.

"You're scaring her, asshole," Jess said, the shakiness in her voice betraying her. She stood up slowly nonetheless, pulling the girl up with her. Still shielding her from his view, Jess stepped past the crowd to where Sparky stood beside a man Jess didn't recognize. "Who's this?" she motioned at the new face.

"Your ride." Sparky smirked and Jess wanted nothing more than to punch him in the face. Before she could act, the man grabbed her by her throat, wrenched her forward, and suddenly she was falling.

Jess felt all the air squeeze out of her lungs as she slipped through the darkness and nothing that stretched and compressed her body. As she tried to register what was happening, Jess felt a surge of panic. Her hands were still clenched tightly, but she couldn't feel anything in them. In fact, she couldn't feel anything at all as the crushing void made her body, even her mind, go numb.

Just as her lungs were about to give up, Jess felt her body spring back to normal, her feet registering a new cold and wet feeling seeping through her boots. Jess opened her eyes to find the man still clutching at her throat. She reached up to claw at his hand and stopped short when she realized that her hands were empty. The little girl slipped from her grasp.

Jess stared at her gloved hands, horrified. As the man's hand left her throat, she felt it tighten on its own. She looked up and met his gaze.

"Where is she?" she shouted, the howling wind nearly blowing away her question. The man just shrugged and gave her a smirk that sent her blood boiling despite the biting cold. "You son of a—"

Before Jess could finish, the man's body folded in on itself and—with a powerful gust of air—he disappeared.

Jess stood frozen in her spot. Her body grew hotter and hotter as anger surged through her, tainting her frosting cheeks a deep red. She wanted to move, to unfreeze herself, to do anything, but everything just stopped. Her mind was going a million miles a minute, thinking every single thought but she couldn't focus on a single one. All she could see and all she could feel was the bone-deep cold.


	4. Chapter 4

Bucky's eyes felt heavy again. The annoying, constant beeping of the jet's systems at work only made the agonizing boredom worse. To prevent any foreign sensors from picking up their presence, Clint had put the shields up and lowered the thermostat to a low temperature that was bordering on unbearable. Then, to make it even worse, Clint got him and Sam to pile up the snow over the jet. If this thing breaks down from freezing up the systems, he's blaming Wilson.

With a rapidly cooling cup of hot chocolate in his hands, Bucky took a sip of the drink, savoring the sweetness. He kept the mug in his hand for warmth as he checked their surroundings for probably the thirtieth time today. Bucky's eyes scanned the area, looking for anything out of the ordinary. They searched lazily, his eyes starting to glaze over even as he tried to focus. He was about to switch the display back to normal when they caught his eye. Two figures appeared out of nowhere on the screen, bright red standing in stark contrast against the deep blue. Bucky jumped up from his seat, nearly spilling his drink over the dashboard.

"Steve!" he yelled, not taking his eyes away from the screen. When no answer came, he slammed his hand on the button, turning on the comms. "Damn it, wake up!"

He heard a series of yelps before the sound of heavy boots filled the deck.

"What is it?" came Clint's voice from behind him. There was a brief pause before he whispered, "Ah, shit."

Bucky turned, his expression focused, his jaw tightened.

"We got two out there," he answered, pointing his thumb at the screen behind him.

"You mean one," Sam corrected. He stifled a yawn.

"Huh?" Bucky turned back and saw the other figure was gone. "Where did—They came out of nowhere."

"Like magic?" Sam quipped from behind him. Bucky could already feel the smirk on his face.

"No," he replied with a slightly annoyed tone. "Teleportation, maybe?"

"Nice," Clint murmured as Steve and Sam made noises of agreement.

"It hasn't moved. You think it knows we're here?" Bucky sat back down with concern in his eyes. Whoever's out there wouldn't go out in the blizzard for no reason. Their cover was blown and everyone in the room knew it.

"Think it's too late to call in back up?" Clint asked, looking over at Steve who was staring intently at the screen.

Without looking away, Steve answered. "We can handle this. They bring the fight to us, then we hit back hard. Take down the Pirogovs, identify the prisoners, and shut the place down."

Bucky huffed. "What, just the three of you?" He turned and nodded at Clint and Sam. "I don't mean to be rude, but—"

"No, you're right," Clint nodded. He nudged Steve. "At least let Barnes join."

Steve sighed and set his weapon down. With a pause that was too long to expect any answer, Sam and Clint shook their heads and joined Bucky.

"Go, get ready," Sam said, pushing Bucky out of his seat.

Bucky nodded, gave Clint a look that the latter took as his thank you, and rushed out to grab his gear. As he passed Steve, Bucky kept his eyes down, not wanting to see the expression on his friend's face.

He kept his stop at the weapons room short, grabbing two Glocks and as much rounds as he could fit inside his pockets that already held his knives. Remembering the prisoners, Bucky slipped a handful of Widow's bites into his pocket. They were much more practical than syringes filled with tranquilizers, anyways.

Bucky pulled out a short, but sharp knife and twirled it in his hand as he walked back to the deck. He couldn't help but think he was disappointing Steve, pissing him off maybe. Things were rough, but that's just the way it was when they were still fugitives hiding from the rest of the world. He knew Steve was trying to be careful and trying to protect his team, but then what the hell were the rest of them doing with their lives? Bucky had to spend two years alone, trying to survive, not exactly living. Now, Steve, Sam, T'Challa, and the others let him have another chance to make his life worth something, to right the wrongs the Winter Soldier made. How was he supposed to just sit around and do nothing?

A piercing scream pulled Bucky out of his thoughts. His body went rigid, gun flying up parallel to his line of sight. He heard footsteps charging against the metal grates of the jet and he readied himself to fire.

"Bucky?!" He heard Steve's strained shout and he relaxed just as the three men came into view. He locked eyes with Steve and shook his head at the concern in his eyes.

"I'm fine," Bucky assured, lowering his gun.

"You sure that wasn't you screaming?" Sam asked as he pulled on his goggles, smirking.

"Shut up." Bucky rolled his eyes.

Sam, ignoring Bucky, tapped at his goggles where they hugged his temple.

"We got a few more on the radar," Sam said, losing his smirk. "One's on the move; doesn't seem to know where they're going, though."

"What's our play, Cap?" Clint asked as he adjusted his quiver.

"Stay low," he said to all of them, his gaze lingering on Bucky. "Don't engage unless they see you and attack. Sam, you're our eyes, identify the hostiles. Bucky, Clint, take the base, bring in as many prisoners as you can. I'll take the brothers."

"Steve," Bucky started with a roll of his eyes. "They're enhanced; you can't take them alone." He looked at Sam for back-up and the man only stared at Steve, clearly disapproving, but he didn't protest.

"We're already outnumbered," Steve admitted. "But we've got a chance to save some people, that's our priority." Steve nodded at Sam to take the lead. Without another word, they marched down the corridor, leaving Bucky with no choice but to follow.

* * *

Jess blinked at the snow piling up on her hands, still frozen in place. She wished she could disappear or get swept away by the blizzard. She wished she could just melt into the snow below her. Unfortunately, that wasn't her superpower. Maybe, she could fry her own brain?

Jess knew she needed to get moving. This is her one chance to get away, her only window to escape. Yet, she felt like she's already failed.

Jess shook her hands, bringing back some heat to her numbing fingers, and dusted off the snow that gathered on her jacket. Pulling her hood over her eyes, she took a step forward and her foot sunk into the snow. She took another step. And another. Slowly the heaviness on her chest lifted, her pace quickening as she braved the unrelenting winds.

There were no places to take shelter in as far as she could see. Her mind still whirred with voices and Jess tried to focus, tried to find the voice she found a few nights before. If she could find him, she could warn him about what's to come. Maybe she could still get out of this alive.

"Jessabell!" a voice came shouting behind her. Jess booked it, stifling the urge to shout in fear. She kicked up the snow behind her as she struggled to get away, leaving a flurry behind her that followed the wind. With each stride, her legs sunk deeper into the snow and made it harder to get away. Her pace slowed but she kept pushing, pumping her legs with as much energy as she could muster.

Risking a look back, Jess saw nothing but the trail she was leaving behind. Unfortunately, taking her eyes off of what was ahead of her was literally her downfall. Head still turned back, her fist slammed into something rock-solid. Jess heard the heart-stopping crack of her bones before her head met the unseen hunk of metal, knocking her unconscious to the ground.

* * *

"What was that?" Clint's head tilted to the right at the sound. It caused the men to stop in their tracks, heads whipping around and weapons at the ready.

"There's something outside," Sam said, his voice suddenly low. "It isn't moving."

Steve nodded. "I'll check it out." Before he could leave, Bucky stopped him.

"I'll go," Bucky said firmly. Sam and Clint backed off instinctively, sensing more bickering from the friends. Before Steve could argue, Bucky shook his head. "You're too loud."

Steve rolled his eyes. "I'm not—."

"Actually, he is quieter than you," Clint agreed. "One time, Lang and I were playing ping pong in the lounge and apparently he had been sitting and watching us for like an hour. I didn't notice 'til Lang stopped to go to the bathroom and nearly pissed his pants then and there."

Steve opened his mouth to protest again, but it was Sam's turn to stop him. "We're wasting time; I'll go with him," Sam offered, nodding at Bucky.

"Fantastic," Bucky murmured. If it put Steve's mind at ease and shut him up, he'll go with the bird. Steve let out a long breath and nodded again.

Bucky brushed past Steve and Clint and fell into step with Sam. They hurried down the corridor quietly and took a second at the door to brace themselves for the cold. Bucky pulled the lever as Sam positioned himself to take point. The pair jumped out of the jet and landed on the soft snow below.

The door shut behind them automatically, making Bucky cringe slightly at the loud thud. Sam motioned for Bucky to follow him. The assassin held his gun at the ready and nodded as he poked Sam's back to push him forward. With a grunt, Sam slowly led him around the jet.

Bucky's senses adjusted to his surroundings, hearing Sam's careful steps against the whistling winds.

As Bucky scanned the area behind them, he heard Sam's breathing pause for a moment. He turned back and saw Sam's hand raise, stopping Bucky in his tracks. Sam brought his finger up to his lips and made the gesture to be quiet before kneeling into the snow.

Bucky followed, leaning against the jet's side and covered Sam's back. He strained his ears against the howl of the wind. He heard the faint sound of labored breathing, growing louder as its source got closer. He was about to tell Sam, but the bird beat him to it. Sam switched on his wrist device, pulling up a picture that showed Bucky at that exact moment in his temperature signature form. Sam unwrapped the device off his wrist and slipped it on Bucky's right arm. When Sam looked away, the screen went a deep blue, save for a humanoid silhouette in the distance.

And by humanoid, Bucky used the term very loosely. Through the feed from Sam's goggles, Bucky could see uniform lumps outlining its body, giving it a plump appearance. Whatever was out there stalked its way towards them like a predator closing in on its prey. The creature moved slowly, but its size allowed it to close the distance between them relatively quickly.

"Holy shit," he heard Sam whisper softly. Bucky looked up from his wrist and his eyes narrowed. He focused in on the creature ahead of them, still in the distance, but close enough to see the details of his body. Sam's feed did not do the creature justice. The creature's lumps—which covered its entire body—opened and closed furiously to reveal hundreds of beady eyes to Sam and Bucky. Only those on the thing's torso focused straight ahead at its targets, making the pair freeze with a new wave of fear under its gaze.

Bucky shook his head and sighed. This new day and age will never stop surprising him.

"Alright, I'm calling them out," Sam whispered as he cocked his gun.

"We can take it," Bucky whispered back, stopping Sam's hand from reaching the wrist device. Below them, Bucky could feel the earth vibrate with each step the creature took, but he pressed on. "Otherwise, they'll know where we are."

"You think they don't?" Sam's eyes were covered by his goggles, but Bucky could feel them rolling at him.

"We can take it," Bucky repeated before straightening himself up from his squat and pulling Sam up with him. The creature was just a few more of its giant steps away, but it still moved so slowly that it shouldn't put up much of a fight.

Bucky, with his limited knowledge of human beings enhanced with alien DNA, was, of course, wrong.

The pair shot their rounds at the creature; the sounds of the bullets ricocheting off its skin mocked their efforts. They stood opposite each other, trapping the creature and guiding it away from the jet, but it barely made a difference. They aimed for the eyes, but their thick lids quickly closed before any bullet could hit them.

The creature started to swing its limbs wildly, just missing Sam's head as he ducked out of the way.

"You got a better plan, Ruskie?" Sam shouted over the unrelenting barrage.

Bucky growled and backed away, his gun out of ammo. He pulled out another magazine and attached it to his Glock with ease. As Bucky raised his weapon, an unknown force stopped him and his body lurched towards the monster, landing right at its feet.

Spitting out a mouth full of snow, Bucky scrambled away from the creature as it slowly tra

"Call 'em!" Bucky yelled at Sam as he kicked some snow into one of the creature's eyes. Sam tapped at the rim of his goggles, sending a distress message to Steve and Clint.

With help on its way putting his mind at more ease, Bucky reached into his vest and pulled out one of his knives. He knew it was going to be a long shot, what with the monster flailing violently about, but Bucky threw the weapon anyway. The blade stuck itself into the corner of an eye causing all of its eyes to widen in shock. Sam took advantage of its surprise to get a few good hits into the opened orbs, weakening it further. The monster stumbled forward and Sam jumped out of the way to reach Bucky's side.

For a moment, the pair thought the creature would finally fall.

Again, they were wrong.

The creature opened his mouth and wailed, shaking the ground beneath them. He began to shake his body, eyelids blinking open and close furiously again. Bucky and Sam watched as its damaged eyes began to reform. The new tissue pushed out each bullet with a small pop, the wound closing in on itself.

"Son of a—"

The distinct sound of an explosion interrupted Sam's expletive, shaking the cliff they stood on with more power than the creature could. Bucky and Sam turned—forgetting the monster for a split second— and saw smoke rising in the direction of the base.

"Oh shit," Bucky mumbled, his eyes darting to Sam who was already on his comms.

"Hawkeye! Steve!" Sam shouted, his finger tapping steadily on his earpiece. "What's your status?!" Sam glanced at Bucky and shook his head, fear etched into his face. "Their bio-readings are stable, but they're not answering."

"Damn it, Steve," Bucky cursed, shaking his head. If the man could stay away from shit without back-up, Bucky could ease up on the worrying. But no, seventy years under ice and apparently he's still an idiot. Ice probably fuels his reckless behavior, too, the little punk.

Another wail from the creature got Bucky and Sam's attention, pulling them away from their worrying. It began flailing its arms around again, forcing the pair to get on the move.

Bucky ducked under the monster, taking point to keep it away from their jet. They needed to make a move and they needed to make it now. Steve and Clint could be in deep shit and this thing was in the way of Bucky and Sam lending their help. Remembering the other nifty weapon he brought, Bucky slipped his hand into his vest, feeling his heart pound against his chest for a second.

"Get out of the way!" Bucky screamed at Sam, pulling out a handful of Widow's bites and throwing them at an unsuspecting eye. The bites stuck perfectly. There was a short pause before the buttons glowed blue and released the shocks of electricity into the creature's knee eye. Taking a few steps back, Bucky watched as its leg spasmed before the creature lost its balance and fell to the ground.

It wasn't dead, but the thing was paralyzed for now. The only movement came from its heavy breathing and the last of its muscles jerking from the Widow's bite's effects.

Bucky looked up from the creature to an impressed Sam. The bird grinned and was moving his hand up to give Bucky a thumbs up, but stopped halfway through the motion. Sam froze and Bucky's brows furrowed in confusion before Sam was sent hurtling backwards, his body hitting the jet with a thud.

"Sam!" Bucky yelled with an edge of panic in his voice. He tried to take a step forward, but found his feet were stuck to the ground. He whipped his head around as he tried to pull his feet up, sensing a new threat. Brushing the hair out of his face, Bucky's eyes locked onto a figure to his left. It was dressed in all white and would have camouflaged with the snow if it weren't for Bucky's keen eyes. It made its way towards him, its hand raised and pointed at his legs.

" _Soldat_ ," it hissed.

"Damn it!" Bucky mumbled under his breath. Fantastic. Now he's going to have to actually kill someone. Bucky stopped in his struggling and glared at the man hiding behind his hood. "Let me go," he said, his voice level.

"I'm afraid I cannot," the man replied in a thick accent.

"Let me go," Bucky repeated, pointing his metal finger at his feet. As he did this, Bucky's right hand slipped into his pocket and pulled out a knife. With a twist of his wrist, Bucky unsheathed the blade and threw it at the man in one swift move.

The man reacted instinctively, throwing his other arm out to stop the weapon in mid-air. He tilted his head to the side, his face still covered by his hood. "I'm bringing you in, Soldier."

"You can try," Bucky growled in reply. The man huffed and lowered his hand, causing the knife to fall into the snow, away from sight.

"Where are your friends, now?" the man asked, nodding towards Sam's still unconscious body.

Bucky glared at him and bared his teeth in a tight snarl. "What did you do to them?" he asked in return, his voice gravelly and low.

"I suspect they must be preoccupied by now," he answered. Bucky's arm locked as a surge of anger rushed through him. His metal hand curled itself into a fist, ready to attack, but the enemy had fucking telekinesis. Bucky could only seethe helplessly.

The man stalked towards Bucky, taking his time with each step. Bucky felt himself slowly start to freeze. Starting from his knees, the numbing feeling crawled its way up his body, rendering his muscles and the rest of his limbs useless. Bucky watched as the man got closer, wanting nothing more than to sucker punch the asshole in the face.

Then, just as the feeling reached his neck, he felt a light tickle in the back of his head.

" _Your friends are fine. Now, get ready_ ," a voice—not his own—warned, echoing inside his head. Bucky's eyes widened in panic, still staring straight at the man, not knowing what to do.

Before he could take another step, the man suddenly slipped and his body slammed into the snow. Bucky blinked, feeling the paralyzing effects on his body quickly seep away, and peered against the onslaught of falling snow. At the man's feet, lay another figure, its head peeking out of another fluffy white hood. Bucky could see its bare hands were wrapped around the man's ankles, holding him down.

"What are you still standing there for? Stab him already!" it—she—yelled in a rushed, chattering tone.

Bucky stared at her, her voice resonating in his mind, again. It sounded familiar. "You—you were in my head…" His own voice trailed off.

* * *

Jess only sighed in response. Heart beating fast against her heaving chest, she pushed up into a sitting position. Her hands still hung onto the man in front of her.

"Yeah, okay, I can explain—"

"Telepath…" Barnes mumbled, his eyes narrowing.

"Basically," she confirmed. "But also with some things extra. It's actually pretty cool minus the headaches; we can discuss it sometime, but right now we gotta—Oof!"

Something hit Jess's back, tackling her into Pirogov and knocking the air out of her. She tried to push back, but whoever was holding her down had a good grip.

"I got her," a voice behind her said. Jess struggled in his grasp, trying to get her legs out from underneath her. She tried kicking him off, but she wasn't strong enough. There weren't exactly any gym privileges back in the prison.

"Okay, I know this looks weird, so can you please just get off?" Jess asked weakly, her face being forcibly pressed into Pirogov's boot.

Jess heard Barnes clear his throat.

"Uh, Sam?"

Jess gasped. It was the Falcon.

"Holy shit. Dude, big fan," Jess said, allowing herself to show excitement in her voice.

Ignoring her comment, Barnes continued. "Sam, she took him down for me. I think she's a prisoner."

Sam didn't ease up on her.

"Still could be with him," he said with a shake of his head.

"I swear I'm on your side," Jess piped up underneath him.

Sam let out a forced laugh. "Really?"

"Really, really." She did her best to nod. Jess knew this would happen. Why would they trust her? A weird woman hyped up on adrenaline that can speak into their minds? She'd want to stay away, too. "Hey, just warning you, I think I might've fractured a few bones on the way over here, so, you know, it's probably not completely your fault if I'm looking slightly mangled, but I'd appreciate it if you loosen up a bit because I'm not feeling super—"

"Jesus Christ," Sam whispered, now loosening his arms from her shoulders.

"Cool, cool, thanks." Jess let out a ragged breath of relief. She got up into a sitting position, again, carefully stretching herself for more relief. "Still a big fan, don't worry."

"You look fine to me," Barnes, now kneeling beside her, commented.

"I don't feel fine." Jess's teeth chattered again, suddenly missing the warmth Sam's bear hug gave her. "By the way, Paul is going to get up any second, now, so we should probably get out of here."

"We?" Sam asked.

"Paul?" Barnes asked at the same time.

"Yeah, Paul," Jess nodded, slightly impatient. "Big dude, eyes all over his body, you can't miss him in a crowd." And to her word, Paul started to stir, making Sam and Bucky jump to their feet.

"I'll take them inside," Sam said, grabbing Jess's arms. He tried to pull them behind her back, but she wouldn't budge.

"Sorry, he's only down because of me," Jess explained. She lifted Pirogov's legs and gave them a shake.

In response, Barnes turned away from her and knelt down. She watched as he slipped his metal arm—the infamous Soviet star nowhere to be seen—under Pirogov's chest. With ease, he got up from his squat and lifted the man's body onto his shoulder, forcing Jess to get up with him. She groaned from the pain that shot up her legs, the rush of adrenaline from before apparently wearing off.

Jess felt an arm reach around her back, supporting her. Sam held on more gently this time and for that she was grateful. She let herself lean onto him, dropping one of Pirogov's legs. One hand should do.

Jess slid her free arm across Sam's shoulders and relieved her legs of some of the pain.

"Ready?" Barnes asked without looking back.

"Lead the way, Tin Man," Sam answered, Barnes already moving forward.

"Oh, ha ha because his arm," Jess giggled softly, tightening her death grip around Pirogov.

* * *

"Bucky!" Steve's call rang out against the wind.

Bucky's ears perked up at the sound, a wave of relief washing over him. Steve was okay. Bucky turned slightly to eye the girl limping behind him. She had a small grin on her face.

"Told you," she breathed out. Sam raised his brow at her before adjusting his hold.

Bucky shook his head and turned his gaze to the direction of Steve's voice. "We're here!" he answered back. Bucky trudged through the snow, peering into the distance for his friend's face. Instead of the arrogant marching man he expected to see, Bucky's eyes focused on a limping Steve. He had his arm around Clint's shoulders, who looked pretty beat up himself.

As they got closer to each other, Steve's eyes met Bucky's and the punk's face relaxed, the corner of his lips tugging up into a weak smile.

"You look terrible," Sam said, greeting the two men. Clint chuckled and stopped in his tracks to push Steve up into a standing position, still supporting him.

"Really could've used your help," Clint replied. The man was panting, tired from carrying Steve's weight. Steve was trying his best to shift the burden onto his good leg, but the movement made him wince.

"What happened?" Bucky asked, his voice taking on a scolding tone.

"I'd ask the same," Clint replied with a nod. "Who're they? And why is she doing that?"

Steve's attention finally left Bucky for a moment and Bucky watched as the men took in the sight of the injured enhanced. His reaction was a bit comical; jaw dropping like he'd just noticed their presence. Bucky remained quiet, expecting an answer from the girl he just met for the first time. Or does that dream count as their first meeting? As his head was about to burst from thinking about the semantics of telepathy, Bucky heard struggled stuttering from behind him. He turned his head again, his brow rising in a questioning look.

"He's—Captain—Mr. Rogers—Holy fuck," the girl yammered, her mouth opening and closing as she stared wide-eyed at Steve. Bucky scoffed, glancing at Steve and a slightly annoyed Barton.

"It's fine, Jesus, relax," he heard Sam say, almost beg, to the girl.

"Uhh, this one tried to take me," Bucky answered and pointed at the man he was holding. "She, umm," he motioned at the girl still stammering behind him with a nod, "saved me?"

"Nice," Clint concluded, still looking slightly confused.

"We should talk inside," Sam insisted, taking a step that nudged Bucky forward. With a few murmured agreements, Clint led the way to the jet's door, grunting as he pulled Steve along with each step. Bucky opened the door for him with a few taps at Sam's wrist device still wrapped around his arm. He offered his free shoulder to Clint and helped support Steve's weight as they all stepped inside the warm jet.

"Thanks, man," Clint mumbled with a sigh, dropping his bow to the floor. They led everyone into the med-bay, Steve doing his best to carry his own weight. Bucky heard Sam still whispering to the girl, mostly pleads to stop freaking out over Steve.

Clint and Bucky carefully lowered Steve onto a bed, laying him on his back. Steve's face twisted into a grimace once they let go, but nodded at them to leave him be as his body repaired itself.

"You sure you're okay, old man?" Clint questioned, crossing his arms and looking concerned.

"Just give me some time," Steve reassured. He looked over at the girl and his brows rose, creasing his forehead. "You okay?"

Bucky turned, giving her the same look that teetered between confused and concerned.

"Ye—Yes—Yes, sir," she affirmed, nodding her head vigorously. "It's fine—This is fine—I'm fine—I am A-OK—I'm—"

"Alright, let's get you settled in," Sam finally stopped her. "Think you can work your magic without touching him?"

The girl nodded, still staring at Steve with a twinkle in her eye. "I can try," she said, her voice getting high-pitched.

"Magic?" Steve questioned, looking to Bucky for a coherent answer.

"Telepath," he answered with a shrug.

The girl grinned, or tried to as she bared her teeth at Steve, making Bucky uncomfortable. Her lips loosened, however, as she returned her focus on keeping the man asleep. Bucky watched as she eased her hold on his ankle, ready to catch the rest of his body once she let go. Her face scrunched up in concentration and, after a few moments, she dropped her grip on him.

"That should do it." Her face softened slightly and her gaze shifted up to meet Bucky's. "Hopefully," she added, her teeth biting down her lip with a slight cringe.

"That's fine," Sam remarked. He pulled down his goggles and gave Bucky a look. He motioned at the girl with a nod and Bucky could tell he still didn't trust her. "Can you help us get him into a cell?" Sam asked her.

"Mmhmm," she hummed in return. Bucky saw her eyes losing focus, glazing over.

"We'll debrief afterwards," Clint said, taking a seat next to Steve.

"Take care of him, will you?" Bucky requested, nodding at his friend. Clint looked at him, looking bored, but nodded. Bucky thanked him and hoisted the man over his shoulder, passing Sam to lead the way to the holding cells.

"Bye, Captain!" he heard the girl call out behind him as Sam veered her out of the room with him.

Bucky hurried down the corridor and felt the man start to stir. The system quickly scanned Bucky's body at the door and opened immediately. Bucky rushed in and threw the man's body into the closest cell with a loud grunt. The cell's door slammed shut and a hologram appeared out of thin air, showing the chamber's interior. Bucky activated the extra shields and created several barriers between them he'd love to see the man try to fight out of.

Behind him, he heard a sharp shriek and he turned to see the girl tumbling into another cell.

"What the fuck?" she screamed as bars, instead of the usual solid door, locked her inside.

"I'm sorry," Sam apologized—Bucky noticed it was genuine—and unbuckled his wings from his back.

"Just a precaution," Bucky explained.

"Why?" she demanded, her fist slamming against one of the bars. "I helped you guys!"

"I know," Sam admitted. "But I can't read minds like you." With that, Sam tapped at the cell's controls and began a full body medical scan before walking out the room quietly.

Bucky watched as the girl slid down the wall, body going heavy in defeat. She brought her knees up and rested her chin on top of them. Her eyes began to stare at nothing in particular.

Bucky didn't know what to do, but he couldn't bring himself to just leave. He turned his back to her and played with the controls, pretending to adjust the chamber's shields. He can get the highlights of the debrief from Steve later. A long silence passed between them, making Bucky's façade look too forced.

"So, is this how you treated a girl after she saved your life back in the '40s?"

"Took you that long to come up with that?" Bucky quipped back, finally stopping his tapping and turning around to face her.

"Damn," she muttered with a small smirk. "I see Hydra didn't wipe out the sass."

"I'd say the same with you." Bucky couldn't help but smirk back and take a few steps closer to her. "You got a name?"

"Duh," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Okay, _Duh_ ," Bucky began.

The girl rolled her eyes again, her smirk turning into a small smile. "Oh my god, it's Jessabell," she said, shaking her head at him.

Bucky nodded. Jessabell. He searched through his memories, the ones from his former self and the ones from the Winter Soldier's. He tried to recognize the name, but he came up with nothing. Nothing except that dream.

"Why did you bring me here, Jessabell?" Bucky asked before folding his arms. Her smile turned into a frown and she looked at her hands. Bucky watched as she fidgeted for a moment.

"You might not like all the details," she admitted her eyes darting up to Bucky's and back down to her hands.

"Try me," Bucky said. He took a step closer, closing the gap between him and the bars, and leaned against them with his metal arm.

"Well, this thing I have—this power or whatever—it gives me some pretty intense headaches, migraines really. Obviously, I couldn't go to a doctor for it; you've seen what they do to my kind, right?"

Bucky pursed his lips and nodded. He did his research. It turns out people don't really change. It turns out the world was still afraid of anyone who was different from most.

"Yeah, well, a few weeks after I changed, these people, the Watchdogs, they took me and brought me to the Pirogovs." She motioned at the cell across from her.

"Wait," Bucky stopped her. "There's more than one?"

"Well, yeah, they're brothers." Jessabell raised her brow at him. "You didn't know?"

"No."

"That's one of them right there, dude."

"Yes, I get that now."

"Well, they said they had a cure for me and that they'll fix me if I found you." She paused for a moment and really avoided Bucky's gaze this time. "And, well, I said yes."

Bucky remained expressionless and they both mused in silence once again. With a slight grimace, Bucky said, "You did what you had to do."

"No, no, oh god, please don't try to excuse that," Jessabell stressed. She finally looked up at him, biting down on her lip. "It only made a much bigger mess."

"How?"

She went quiet again and Bucky let her. There was no question she was suffering from guilt. Bucky can see regret from a mile away.

"They blew up the base didn't they?" Jessabell asked, the question muffled by her hands.

"I think so," Bucky murmured.

"Any survivors?"

"I don't know." He paused for a moment. "I'll find out."

Jessabell looked up at him, folding her hands on top of her knees. She blinked and released the tears that welled up in her eyes. Her hand wiped at her cheeks and she mumbled solemnly, "There's a little girl, she calls herself Rex. Frizzy hair, freckles, really cute—"

"I'll find out," Bucky repeated softly.

"I'll keep an eye on him, then." She bit her lip again and pulled on a weak smile before her face went somber.

* * *

Apparently, coming down from an adrenaline high made people really dumb and giddy. Jess decided to scold herself later for how she acted in front of Captain freaking America. For now, she had to concentrate on keeping Pirogov asleep.

She watched as Barnes left the room, leaving her alone with Pirogov. She could see his cell was surrounded by a bunch of force field type things, but she wasn't taking any chances. It was draining her of energy, but she didn't want this dumbass awake any time soon. Not when they were in a million-dollar looking jet and he could move shit around with his mind.

Jess couldn't help but think about what Barnes said. Did she really have to do all that? Was it all even worth it? She was still stuck in a cell albeit a much more comfortable one. People still didn't trust her. She couldn't really blame them. It would be easier if she could.

No, she had to stop, she had to focus. Keeping Pirogov down was the least she could do for the superheroes in the other room.

Jess forced herself to stay awake and do away with her thoughts as the low hum of the jet and the warmth of her cell tried to send her to sleep. Ironically, she missed the feel of the cold wall of her old cell. She got up and forced herself to stand. People can't fall asleep when they're standing, right? Jess started to pace around her cell, looking up every once in a while to check on Pirogov's hologram.

She tried to clear her mind, except her efforts to keep Pirogov down, as the familiar noise in her head started up again.

"Damn it," she cursed. It was getting hard to focus now. Fear started to set in as she felt Pirogov's mind start to shift. She tried to mute the activity in his brain and soothe him back to a deeper sleep, but it was as if he was fighting back. "Fucking—"

The sound of rushing air, like a pneumatic system bursting from too much pressure, stopped her latest curse and sent Jess jumping back against the wall. She opened her eyes, having closed them instinctively, and saw a familiar face before her. A sly grin was etched on the teleporter's face, mocking her.

"You piece of shit!" Jess screamed, her voice shrill. "Where is she?!" He only chuckled and turned away from her to inspect Pirogov's chamber. "Answer me!"

Jess heard some shuffling behind the door before it slid open to reveal Barnes and Wilson, fully armed. Barnes looked from her to the teleporter and immediately raised his weapon at him.

"Back away from the cell," the Falcon threatened, his gun raised at him, too. The teleporter did as he was told and took a step back, his hands raised in defense. Sam was about to lower his weapon when there was another rush of air.

The teleporter disappeared for a second, only to reappear inside Pirogov's cell with someone else in hand. Barnes blinked, confused, gun still raised, until he realized what happened.

"Hey!" Sam yelled, dropping his weapon and rushing over to the controls. He tapped away furiously, taking down each layer of security. Barnes struggled against the teleporter's chokehold, but the man held on despite Barnes's slaps of his metal hand.

Jess looked on, panicked. Her mind raced and she tried to slow it down. Gripping on the bars of her cell so tightly that her knuckles turned white, Jess focused in on the teleporter's mind. She pushed out and sent the sharpest jolts of pain she could muster into his brain, causing her own mind to suffer the same agony. Jess screamed, her body aching, telling her to stop, but it was working.

The teleporter let go of his grip on Barnes and clutched at his head with his other hand. The arm that held Barnes stayed at his side and Jess felt the aches from Barnes's effective slaps. She let him suffer further for a few seconds, making him drop down to his knees next to Pirogov's still unconscious body. She caught the teleporter's eyes and found some pleasure in his misery.

" _Get out,"_ Jess said simply into his mind. " _Take that asshole with you and leave Barnes alone."_

She sent him another stab for good measure. His body convulsed before he doubled over and Jess finally set his mind free. He looked up at her, shaken and horrified, and wrapped his arm around Pirogov. Without another word, their forms were sucked away into nothing, leaving Barnes behind.

Jess stared at the space for a moment, feeling lightheaded. She did that. She actually did that.

She was going to puke now.

She lost her grip on the bars and started to sway where she stood. Her vision started to blur, the figures of Barnes and Wilson becoming vaguely colored blobs. Her hand felt up her face, looking for her temple, but stopped to feel something warm and wet under her nose. Jess stumbled backwards and felt for the wall behind her, but she slipped, sending her consciousness down with her.

* * *

"Just because she saved Bucky's life, doesn't mean we should trust her."

"You're starting to sound like Natasha."

"You know, you could learn a thing or two from her, kid."

"Shhh! She's waking."

Jess groaned before blinking her eyes open, flinching at the light a few times as they adjusted to the brightness. She tried to shield her eyes with her hand, but something stopped her wrist. Acting on instinct, Jess pulled on the restraints and found her ankles were tied up, too. At the inside of both of her elbows, plastic tubes jutted out of her skin, pumping clear liquids into her body. She squirmed where she laid, a cold sweat covering her body that agitated her further.

" _Shhh, shhh, it's okay_ ," came a sharp, feminine voice. There was an accent in there somewhere, but Jess couldn't narrow it down. She continued to thrash around the bed not knowing where the voice came from.

"Jessabell," a familiar one joined, low and rough. This one she actually heard outside of her head.

Barnes came into view, his long hair tied up in a bun and his face freshly shaven. He shifted his head to block the light from her face and Jess stopped her squirming.

"Seriously?" Jess looked up at him, furious and breathing hard from her initial panic. She noticed an unpleasant, metallic taste in her mouth. "Even after that?"

"It's a—"

"Precaution, yeah, whatever." Jess rolled her eyes and shifted them from Barnes to the other two people in the room. Sam stood stoic next to a girl clad in a short dress and knee high boots. Her mysterious aura and downright badass look were cut short by a warm smile playing on her lips. Jess knew instantly who she was. "Holy crap."

Wanda Maximoff quirked her brow, but the statement only made her smile grow.

"Hi," she said with a wave of her hand.

"My God, you're prettier in real life."

She laughed and turned her gaze to Sam who was still looking at Jess with his stink-eye.

Sam looked at Maximoff for a second and shrugged. "And all I got was big fan."

"Barton got even less," Barnes added.

"Barton shoots sticks, man, I fly. There's a big difference."

" _Sorry about the restraints_ ," Maximoff apologized, her voice echoing in Jess's mind. " _I said we can trust you_ , _but you're a telepath, so—"_

" _Just in case?"_

Maximoff scoffed and rolled her eyes again at Barnes and Wilson who were too busy bickering to see their exchange. " _It's funny; you're more of a threat restrained than you are free."_

Jess sensed there was something much deeper to what she said. Jess could try and pry, but didn't want to invade Wanda Maximoff's privacy. She was the only other telepath in the room after all.

" _Good choice,"_ Wanda chuckled to Jess with a wink. Jess returned her smile, excited at the prospect of talking to people through a psychic link with such ease. Wanda's gaze left hers and turned back to Sam, frowning at him. She felt Wanda's presence leave her, a release of pressure in the back of her head she didn't even notice was there.

"Are you two done?" Wanda asked, stopping Sam in the middle of a comeback. He narrowed his eyes at Barnes for a moment.

"Actually, no—"

"Actually," Wanda began, a little more matter of factly. "We have to go."

"For what?"

"I'm cooking tonight and I need your help."

"Just ask Clint or Scott—"

"Let's go!" Wanda pulled on his arm and started to drag him away. Sam grumbled as she did so and the pair left the room after Wanda gave Jess another wink.

Jess grinned. At least someone liked her. And it just so happens to be Wanda Maximoff? If she was around, then Jess wouldn't mind laying on this hospital bed for a while.

Remembering Barnes was still with her, Jess looked up at him and found he was watching her intently. Jess raised her brows at him, but didn't bother initiating a conversation.

But he did.

"You probably have a lot of questions," Barnes murmured.

"Well, the first thought I had was food, but the questions come to a close second," Jess replied dryly.

Barnes huffed. "Okay."

He turned and left her side, exiting the room without another word.

* * *

Bucky strolled down the corridor, stomach rumbling at the smell emanating from the kitchen. He entered the room and nodded at Wanda and Sam who busily chopped up the last of the vegetables. Wanda's hand flicked continuously at each slice of carrot Sam made, sending it into a simmering pan.

"How long 'til it's ready?"

"We've only just started," Wanda sighed. She tossed its contents with a wave of her fingers before looking up at him. "Hungry already?"

"Sure," Bucky nodded and leaned against the counter, watching them work.

"Then, make yourself a sandwich," Sam suggested before motioning to the fridge. Bucky huffed and stepped behind them, aiming to make a few ham and cheese sandwiches for the girl.

Before he could open the door, Wanda said, "Peanut butter and jelly would be good, too." Bucky looked at her for a moment and shrugged. She only smirked at him.

"Okay," he drawled out as he opened one of the cabinets and searched for the jars. He pulled them out and set them on the counter before finding the rest of the ingredients in the fridge. Bucky worked silently, listening to Sam hum along to Wanda's soft, classical music. He let himself relax into the moment, grateful that he's been able to settle into a life like this.

Bucky stacked up the sandwiches high atop two plates and placed them on a tray. He weaved his way out of the kitchen carefully, nodding his goodbyes to the pair still at work cooking tonight's dinner. He can join them later.

Bucky made his way back to Wanda's room, where the girl had been kept under for about a week now. He heard shuffling down the hall and looked up to see Scott. As always, the man had a smile on his face, waving at Bucky, but eyeing the sandwiches.

"Hey, Bucky!" Scott greeted, reaching his hand out to grab at a PB&J. Bucky immediately lifted the tray out of his reach and gave him an uneasy smile.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "I skipped breakfast. And lunch."

Scott only looked slightly disappointed. "Oh, hey, okay, I was heading down to the kitchen, anyways. Promised to help Wanda with dinner."

"Sam's already down there," Bucky shrugged.

"What? It's my turn!" Scott's brows furrowed, but he shrugged and let it go. "Well, alright, might as well get down there, anyways." Scott waved and gave Bucky another grin before continuing down the hall.

Bucky turned and shook his head before setting back to bring the girl her food. He rounded the corner to the bedrooms and heard voices coming from Wanda's room. The soft, giddy laughter that followed gave Bucky a clue who the girl was talking to.

As he entered the room, Steve turned and looked at him, eyes tired but crinkled from the smile on his face. Bucky noticed the girl's arms and legs were freed before meeting his friend's gaze.

"Hey, Buck. Jessabell had some questions," Steve began, tilting his head at her.

"Yeah," he answered as he placed the tray beside Jessabell. "Said she's hungry."

"Yup," Jessabell nodded, wincing in pain from the sudden movement. She narrowed her eyes and pointed at one of the plates. "Is that PB&J?"

"Sure is." Bucky closed the distance between them and dropped the tray on the nightstand beside her. He turned to help her sit up, but Steve had beaten him to it.

"Thanks, Cap," she said with a sheepish smile. Steve smiled back at her as he fluffed up her pillow.

Bucky rolled his eyes at him before dropping the plate on her lap. "Eat up."

Jessabell finally took her eyes off Steve and gave Bucky a half-smile. "Thanks," she muttered before biting into a slice. She chewed thoughtfully for a moment, her cheeks puffed from the large bite she took. A quick sigh of content and another big bite told him she approved. Steve and Bucky watched as she devoured the stack, impressed by her speed, concerned at the few breaths she was taking.

"You really shouldn't eat so fast," Bucky warned.

"They don't make 'em like this at Hydra," she returned with a shrug.

"You're pretty calm for someone who's been with them for a year."

The girl coughed, almost choking on the half-swallowed sour dough, ham, and cheese mixture in her throat.

"Bucky," Steve started, his forehead creasing, ready to scold.

Jessabell waved off Steve's apologetic look. "No, it's fine. He's right." She took a moment to wipe her mouth clean and push her plate aside. "I suppose it's my turn to explain everything?"


	5. Chapter 5

"And here we are: me eating a damn good ham and cheese and you looking at me like you don't believe a damn thing." Jess settled into another sandwich without bothering to see the pair's reactions. She ran out of PB&J's about ten minutes into her story and kept eyeing the other plate before Barnes handed it to her.

"Why would you eat raw fish from a gas station?" Barnes asked her, his arms crossed. Steve only nodded with an even more confused look.

"Cravings," Jess replied.

She heard him scoff. If it weren't for the fact he made her some sandwiches, she would've said something back. Barnes had been staring at her, looking totally disbelieving, the entire time. She really couldn't blame him, but a bit of trust after saving his life is the least he could do.

"Some of it was spread through the fish supply," Steve whispered to Barnes who refused to remove his gaze from her. "It's not completely hard to believe."

Barnes shrugged a shoulder, unimpressed. "Yeah, sure."

Steve turned to address Jess. "I'm going to have to tell the others about this."

Jess looked up from her plate and nodded. "I know."

"Okay, Buck." Steve clapped his back and rose from his chair. "Let's let her get some rest."

"Sure." Barnes got up from his seat and grabbed the plate of ham and cheese. Jess wanted to protest and nab the last few slices, but thought it best not to. She watched as the pair walked out the door, waving at their retreating figures.

Full from the distrust sandwiches, Jess had sleep on her mind. Relieved her limbs were finally free, Jess kicked the soft blanket off her frame and stretched out across the bed. Her joints cracked and she sighed contentedly before grabbing a pillow to wrap her arms around. Jess nestled her head into the plush and was about to knock out when she heard rattling behind her.

She jerked in response and whipped her head around to see Barnes grabbing the tray he left behind.

"Shit, you scared me," Jess breathed, hugging the pillow closer to her. Barnes turned to her and studied her for a moment. Jess felt his stare a little too strongly again, her cheeks tinting in response. "Okay, I don't mean to be rude, but the staring is a bit off-putting, so if you could just—"

"Why bother helping us?" Barnes interrupted, turning his gaze away from her.

"It was my only way out." Jess shrugged as she settled against her pillows.

"We could have just been your diversion." Barnes lingered at her side, still not meeting her eyes. "But you still saved us from Paul and that other guy."

"Well, it's not like I know my way out of the middle of Russia. I needed a ride."

"Right." Barnes nodded once before turning himself to the door. There was a slight pause and Jess thought he was going to say something else, but he trudged out of the room with a huff.

"Thanks for lunch!" Jess called out, but he was gone.

Jess only saw Wanda for the next few days as she recovered. Assuming it was from the painkillers they had her on, Jess blissfully recuperated without a single migraine to torture her. There was a light buzz in the back of her head at times, but Wanda explained it was her being nosy.

Jess didn't mind. She had nothing to hide. She told them everything. She told them about the Watchdogs, the Pirogovs's offer, and what they had her do. Clearly they weren't completely forgiving as she hasn't seen Barnes, Sam, Hawkeye, or Steve since. She wasn't even told about the other guy in the house, but she could sense his presence.

Wanda was the only company she had and thank God for that. Apparently, the eyeless Pirogov had kept Jess subdued by aggravating the noise that she could have learned to shut away. Here, her mind was quieter than it had ever been.

Wanda brought her food and conversation. Once Jess was able to get on her feet and do her physical therapy, Wanda showed her the tricks of telepathy.

Her telepathy training used a trial and error method that usually led to embarassment on Jess's part. In addition to full-on hypnosis, Jess couldn't manipulate matter and energy like Wanda did.

But, aside from dream travelling, Jess could "guide" a person's mind. It wasn't exactly hypnosis, but more like convincing people of a twisted truth. Wanda showed her how to manipulate people's perception of what went on around them, usually with Jess at the receiving end. It was cool, but also a bit unsettling.

One particular afternoon, at least according to the clock beside Jess's sofa bed, Jess and Wanda practiced their silent communication.

" _What do you mean? They cancelled it?!"_ Jess gasped, audibly, nearly dropping the spoon she was holding.

" _No, but it's moving to a different channel."_ Before Jess could express her relief, Wanda continued. " _Sue and Mel and Mary quit."_

" _Oh, son of a—"_

" _And Paul is staying,"_ Wanda added as she scrunched up her face in disgust.

" _Fucking Paul would stay that little ass—"_

" _Right?"_

Jess huffed and let herself scoop up another spoonful of peanut butter. So much shit went down while she was gone, she was going to rip the Pirogovs apart when she sees them again. If she sees them again.

"What the hell are you two doing?"

Jess and Wanda looked up, not in the least bit surprised, at Sam leaning against the doorway, looking concerned and confused. Jess was getting used to that look.

"Eating peanut butter," Wanda replied simply, waving the jar she held. "Do you need something?"

"Steve needs you," he answered, pointing his thumb out the door. "It's important."

Wanda nodded quickly and reached for Jess's spoon. "I think that's enough for today."

"Umm, you just gave me some devastating news, I'm going to need more," Jess joked, stretching her hand away from Wanda. Wanda raised her brow and lifted her hand, red smoke weaving around her fingers. She yanked the spoon out of Jess's grip and laughed at her fake pout.

"Next time," Wanda smiled before walking past Sam and out the door. Jess sighed and waved with a weak smile, a bit disappointed to see her go.

" _I'll see you, later,"_ Wanda's voice echoed softly. Jess hummed back, urging her to hurry up as she had a ton more questions about what went down while she was gone and Sam was giving her his stink eye again.

Jess shifted awkwardly under his gaze and was about to point it out when he said, "Settling in okay?"

"Uhh," Jess stuttered at the question for a moment. Well, she wasn't expecting genuine concern. "Yep. Wanda's been keeping me company."

"So, listen," Sam began, crossing his arms and darting his eyes down to the floor. "The team and I've been talking about what to do with you."

Oh, boy. Jess was afraid this time would come. Obviously, she can't stay with them. It was probably hard enough housing the six most wanted fugitives in the world under one roof. Add to that a telepath with some fishy ties with creepy, inhuman supremacists? Yikes.

"I can't stay," Jess muttered, saying what was on his mind.

"Yeah," Sam nodded with a sigh.

"No, no, I've gotten more than I deserve from all of you." Jess shook her head even as her stomach churned and her eyes wetted.

"You got family that we can contact—"

"No," she stopped him. There's no need to bring anyone else into this. Not with all these loose strings still hanging. "Just me."

"Really? No friends? Employers?"

Jess shrugged.

"No one out there wondering where you've been?"

"I haven't made any attachments ever since I changed." That wasn't not true.

"Hmph," Sam stood there for a moment in clear disbelief, but shrugged it off. "Well, we can hook you up with a new identity to keep the Pirogovs off your tail 'til we take them down for good."

Jess nodded quickly, her face scrunching up in worry at the thought of what's to come. Being on the run was not something she was looking forward to. When she changed, she got lucky enough to have powers she could hide. Sometimes, she'd slip up and answer unspoken questions or fire back at unexpressed insults, so she couldn't stay around for too long. Especially not when the town started to whisper the devil was walking among them.

But no one ever came after her. Too afraid maybe, but mostly too comfortable in their own little worlds to confront the big bad monster who just wanted to know if you were bullshitting her on the mango price hike.

So, being on the run? With a pair of pissed off inhumans who don't like loose ends on your ass? It doesn't sound like those fairytale adventures she was—and sometimes still is—obsessed with.

"We're not forcing you out or anything. We'll keep you for however long you need to recover." Sam, sensing Jess's slight unease at his sudden change of heart, continued. "Besides, we want to keep that smile on Wanda's face for as long as we can."

Jess relaxed a bit at this and offered him a smile. "Glad I could convince someone I'm not as shady as I look."

Sam chuckled and replied, "It's hard to trust someone that can get into your head from thousands of miles away and was kind of in kahoots with Hydra."

Jess flinched at that. Harsh, Sam Wilson was, but the truth, he told.

"Yeah, I wouldn't either," was all she could say. Before an awkward silence could detain the two, Sam uncrossed his arms and asked, "What did they have that pulled you in anyway? Bet even my vindaloo is better than whatever crap they called food back there."

"Sand is better than the crap they called food back there."

"Okay," Sam nodded slowly at the retort. "Dinner's at 6."

Jess perked up at the invitation, but thought better.

"Oh! I—I don't think I should—"

"Why? Got other plans?"

"No."

"I'll send someone to bring you down."

Jess struggled to say thank you as she started to buzz with excitement. Or was it nerves? Whatever. Both.

"I—I can manage on my own." Yeah, like they'd totally want her wandering around their home on her own.

"Good luck finding your way around this place," Sam shrugged, pushing off the doorframe and turning away.

"I can manage!" Jess called out after him, watching as he rounded a corner and walked out of her sight.

The clock said she had two hours before dinner. Too early to get ready, too late to start watching something from Wanda's movie collection. If only she was around to talk to more often.

Wanda said she was welcome to using anything in her room, but there really wasn't much. There were a few books, but none that looked interesting nor readable in the time she had. There was a deck of cards, but you need _two_ people for that.

A guitar sat on a stand in the corner of the room gathering dust. Jess swung her legs over the side of the bed and slowly stood up, holding onto the nightstand for a second to balance herself. She made her way to the instrument and admired the waves etched along its side. She lifted it carefully from the stand and settled on the couch next to her wrinkled blanket.

Jess knew how to play a few chords back when she was forced to take music, but she was never any good. Her fingers picked at the strings and she cringed at the sounds it made. Maybe it was out of tune? Or maybe she was?

The last few days were the first time in a while Jess felt safe and comfortable. But, of course, that isn't going to last. In a few days, she's going to have to leave and find her way back into the world. She can't go back home. Even when the Pirogovs are out of the picture, she can't show her face in that town ever again. Maybe she can visit given time. It would be nice to see her mother again while she still remembers.

What was she going to do now? Sure, she'll be living under a new identity, but she still needs to keep her head down. She still needs to be ready to go AWOL in a moment's notice.

Jess wanted to punch her college self in the face. Suddenly, settling down into a nice, routine life sounded like a dream compared to what she's going to have to do. But she never asked for a life like this. No chance to live the life she wanted. Stripped of choice, of freedom. Ripped away from the people she cared about.

Yikes.

She needs to stop getting sucked into the internal melodrama.

Bored out of her mind, she slammed her head back against the couch and continued strumming, growing nervous with each second that passed. Her foot tapped with each strum and Jess developed a beat akin to the ticking clock. The rhythm lulled Jess into a sleepy state and soon she started to doze off. Wanda's bedroom faded into a blur before slipping into darkness. Here, she seemed to float for a moment before surging forward, feeling her essence leave her bones, blood, and body behind.

Then, she settled.

Jess found herself sitting against something hard and cold. Her head lay at an awkward angle, aching as she lifted it up and opened her eyes. Jess gasped at the sight before her.

Expecting to see Wanda's empty bedroom wall, Jess took in the sight before her. Rows of newly polished pews lead the way to a raised wooden altar. Candles lined the path to the area that housed the altar, providing the dim lighting that gave the place an eerie feel.

No windows, at all. Weird. But who was she to define a dream?

It wasn't hers, she could feel that. Yet, it felt familiar.

The ceiling was low where she stood, but gradually sloped up into a dome right above the towering cross.

The instinctual jolt to the heart reminded Jess to avert her eyes before they fell upon the being hanging from it. Call her God-fearing or just downright ridiculous, she could never stomach the sight of an occupied cross. She kept her view low as she rose from her seat, intent on finding a way out of the creepy church. Behind her pew stood the stoup, filled to the brim with holy water, that blocked the way to the double door.

Jess squeezed past it and reached for the handles before a small voice called to her, making her jump.

"Jess?" The distant voice came from direction of the altar, but she couldn't see anyone. It sounded as if they were far away.

The candles closest to her started to dim, slowly, one by one, threatening to darken entirely. Jess took the cue to make her escape and turn the handle, but it wouldn't budge. She pushed and tugged before angrily slamming her palm against the wood. Taking a step back, Jess threw herself at the door, aiming at the gap, but it was no use. She turned, her eyes darting around to find another exit.

There was another door, to the right of the pews, hidden behind a thick pillar. Jess made for it, nearly pushing the stoup to the floor. She ignored the continuous calls of her name and her hand flew out to twist the knob. To her relief, it was unlocked. She snuck a quick look at the altar, finding no one, and pushed the door open, her foot realizing her mistake before her eyes did.

Jess screamed as she dove straight into a pitch black abyss. Something seized her torso, gripping tight to speed up her descent, but something else grabbed her from behind.

A dry, calloused hand wrapped around her wrist and Jess let out another shriek. It tugged on her firmly, causing whatever tried to pull her into the void to bellow in fury. The wail blew Jess's hair out of her face and with it came a shower of sticky snot that stung the second it hit her skin. Her head spun from the opposing pulls and the smell of the creature's breath from below. She tasted the bile just as it went past her throat, forcing her mouth open to release its contents. She heard the creature growl as her vomit splattered onto its arm. At this, Jess beat the claw clutching at her stomach, deciding she'd rather face whatever was in the church than the monster below.

Behind her, another hand managed to grab a hold of her leg. Whoever kept her from a sure death below pulled so hard that Jess thought she'd be torn from her limbs.

The creature struggled under her and Jess felt another load of vomit push up from her stomach. Waiting as long as she could, she filled up her mouth with the bitter liquid before letting it spew out of her in a series of coughs and gags. The thing let out an ear-splitting screech of frustration at Jess, sending up another wave of stinging snot to her face.

Jess yanked her other arm free and the calloused hand went straight for her dangling leg before it lost its grip on her. The creature, intent on capturing Jess, yanked on her relentlessly against the efforts of the voice above her.

"Jess! The arm!" It yelled, its hands slipping down to her ankles.

With that, Jess wrapped a hand at the end of the creature's forearm. She bent her free arm, reached back, and slammed her elbow close to its wrist. The creature squealed as it drew its claw back, scratching Jess's side and ripping through her shirt in the process.

"You did it!" Immediately, the source of the voice pulled on her legs, bringing her back into the floating church. It struggled to bring her inside and Jess kicked back against its hands once her own got a hold of the floor. Pushing herself up into a sitting position, Jess pulled the door closed behind her and slumped against it, out of breath.

"What the fuck," Jess breathed, her eyes fluttering closed as she caught her breath. Her hand flew up to her side to assess the damage, but found none. Her other hand went for her face, but found it clean. "Oh my god, where the hell am I?"

"You're close," the voice replied, distant again, yet Jess could feel its presence next to her.

Swallowing hard, Jess propped herself up on one hand before turning to the sound of it. Afraid of what she might see, she carefully peeked through one eye and saw the silhouette of a small figure kneeling before her.

"Oh my god." Jess's breath hitched for a moment as she let her eyes fully open and recognize the child. "Rex."

"Jess!" The kid threw her arms around her, knocking the air out of Jess. "You said a swear." Rex giggled against her and Jess couldn't help but laugh right back. Jess drew in a sharp breath before whooping hysterically and returning the embrace with equal ferocity.

"You're alive!"

Rex nodded and pulled away, placing her hands on Jess's cheeks. "They took me away," she whimpered. A frown replaced her toothy smile.

"Where are you?" Jess's voice cracked.

"They're coming for you, Jess. They don't care about the soldier anymore. They want you to be dead." A sob caught in Rex's throat as she threw her arms around Jess, again. Jess's stomach dropped at the warning.

"They know where I am," Jess said, gravely. Rex nodded against her neck, tugging her closer.

"But Captain America will protect you!" Rex reassured.

Jess patted Rex's back lightly, thinking to herself. She had to get out and fast. She couldn't put Wanda or Steve or any of their friends in danger. She's done enough of that already. Another international incident would be a disaster for them and for their asylum country.

She needs to lead the Pirogovs away from Wakanda.

Jess's recovery had gone faster than she expected. Steve thought the daily injections from the Pirogovs were really some weaker form of a super serum. Wanda figured her inhuman DNA had something to do with it. Jess had a feeling it was a bit of both.

Only a few more days of rest and physical therapy should get her in shape to leave. Then, Jess could leave the former Avengers alone and tie up her loose ends herself.

"Jess, you need to be safe," Rex whispered, pulling Jess out of her dream thoughts.

"I will be, don't worry," Jess nodded. "Don't let them get near you, okay? If they do, show them your teeth." Jess cupped Rex's face in her hands. She looked at the child reassuringly before baring her teeth and growling, earning another giggle from her.

"That's silly," Rex judged. Her little fingers flew up to squeeze Jess's lips together, making her blow raspberries instead. "You're so silly, Jess."

"I am aren't I?" Jess laughed, feeling empty. She placed a kiss on Rex's forehead as she smoothed her curls from her face. "Get some rest. They can't hurt you in your dreams."

Rex nodded, smiling up at her, before pulling away to get on her feet.

"Bye-bye," Rex sang before skipping past the pews and out of sight behind the altar from where she came.

Jess sat in the church, quietly, sulking in its emptiness for what felt like an eternity. She had so many questions and so many problems to sort through and answer and solve.

One at a time.

Before she can leave, she has to convince the former Avengers she's fit and healthy to go. This dinner is her chance to do so.

"Jessabell?" A new voice called, rough and low, making Jess jump to her feet. This one sounded much closer; so loud it made the church walls shake.

Jess jumped over the pews and ran to the back of the church where the holy water stood. If these walls caved in, there was no telling what other monsters lurked outside.

"Jessabell?!" The walls cracked and the ceiling crumbled, sending bits of debris to the floor. One by one, the candles fell to the ground, going out and darkening the church entirely.

Jess ducked to the ground and covered herself with her arms. She needed to get out. She needed to wake up.

With a scream, Jess felt her consciousness reel back into her body. She found herself on the floor of Wanda's bedroom, her limbs pinned down by a firm hold.

Jess blew the hair out of her eyes and found Barnes staring wide-eyed at her. He immediately let go and pushed himself away to place some distance between them.

"Sorry. You were on the floor. I tried to wake you up, but then you started kicking and shaking."

"Wh-Why are you here?" Jess pushed the rest of her hair out of her face. Half of it was stuck thanks to some semi-dried up drool and she had to wipe it away, embarassed.

Barnes was still staring at her as she propped herself up. "Dinner."

"Oh, right." She shook herself to get rid of the sleep in her system. And to attempt to do away with the anxiety of what just happened.

It wasn't going to go away any time soon.

"I'll, uh, wait outside," Barnes nodded. He got up and trudged out of the room, closing the door behind him.


	6. Chapter 6

Jessabell finally emerged from Wanda's room, smoothing the wrinkles of her blouse before shutting the door behind her.

"Ready?" Bucky asked, rhetorically, already making his way down the hall. Jessabell shuffled behind him despite the wide breadth of the corridor.

"So, is Sam's vindaloo as good as he says it is?" she asked, a slight quiver in her voice.

"He likes to think so." He knows he intimidates her, but he's sure she's more dangerous asleep than he is awake.

"So, is this what you guys do when you're not fighting bad guys? Cook and take in strays?"

"Not for too long." When she didn't ask any further questions, Bucky cringed. It's too dangerous for her to stay with them. Sam told her that. They couldn't risk having another enhanced here let alone another telepath. It was risky enough having everyone here, but having to be alone, jumping from place to place on your own, was hard for the others. He didn't blame them. He knows. Besides, she's safer hiding elsewhere while they go after the Pirogovs.

"You know, you're not making this any easier," Jessabell finally said. When Bucky didn't say a word in return, he heard her groan. "Fine, whatever, don't talk then."

Bucky huffed in return. "I don't like small talk."

"And I don't like awkward silences."

Bucky thrived in silence.

"But it's fine, I think I'm too hungry to care," she mumbled. The smell of Sam's cooking reached Bucky as they descended the staircase. The bird can be pretty irritating, but his cooking made him tolerable. Bucky slowed his walk and motioned for Jessabell to continue before him, but she stopped. Bucky motioned again and glanced at her this time to see her face twisted in worry.

"Don't tell me you're nervous," he said, slightly amused.

"Room full of superheroes? Who wouldn't be nervous?" she asked, staring down the hall that led into their dining room.

"You've already met most of them."

"I think I was high on adrenaline to be honest."

Bucky chuckled, tugging the corner of his lips up, threatening to make him smile. "They're more afraid of you than you are of them." Jessabell's head snapped his way, her eyes wide in concern.

This is why he'd rather keep his mouth shut.

"Just—" Bucky stopped himself and waved off whatever he was going to say. She refused to move and her face started to go pink. Judging from the way her eyes kept darting around, Bucky can tell her mind was racing.

He could call Wanda and bring her over to calm Jessabell down, but that would make a scene and he's sure neither of them wanted that. Guess it's up to him then.

Bucky turned to fully face her and leaned down so that his eyes were level with hers. His flesh hand hovered over her shoulder, not quite touching her. Jessabell's eyes finally stopped their nervous darting and settled on him. Specifically on his nose, for some reason.

"If you don't want to eat with us it's fine. I can have Wanda bring dinner up for you."

Jessabell shook her head and took a deep breath. "No, it's fine, I'm being weird. Just give me a second." Bucky nodded, relieved.

After a few moments, Jessabell took another deep breath and straightened herself up.

"Okay," was all she said before stepping forward towards the smell of Sam's vindaloo. Bucky followed behind her, his stomach rumbling at the thought of dinner.

"Jess!" Wanda called her name before her head popped out of the room. A smile spread on her face, reaching her eyes for once as she held her hand out for Jessabell to take. "Thanks, Bucky," she nodded at him and tugged Jessabell inside.

Sam sat at one end of the table, while Scott set the last of the silverware. Bucky slid past them and settled into his usual place across Steve's empty seat.

Before he could ask where his friend was, Wanda got the team's attention, pulling Jessabell forward.

Clint was already digging into the vindaloo and was about to shove a spoonful into his mouth before Bucky shot him a warning look. With a frown, Clint lowered his spoon slowly and dropped it on his plate.

"This is Jessabell." Wanda gave Jessabell a small push.

"Jess is fine," she said, waving once to the group.

The rest of the table greeted her before Lang stretched out his hand to Jessabell.

"Hey! I'm Scott," he introduced himself.

She stared at his hand for a second, then took it carefully.

"Whoa!" Scott yelped as soon as they touched. She jerked her hand away from his hold with a wince.

"Sorry! I—I can't control it when I'm nervous," Jessabell explained, pulling her hands behind her back. The red returned to her cheeks and she looked away, her eyes darting to Wanda's in panic.

"Aw, no, it's all good," Scott insisted, massaging his hand. "It just came out of nowhere, that's all."

"I used to be much worse," Wanda reassured before nodding to the chair across hers. "Come on, have a seat."

"Thanks," Jessabell said, dipping her head when Scott pulled it out for her. Bucky watched as she slowly leaned away from the table, her eyes still avoiding everyone else's. They flicked once across the table towards Wanda, who gave her a nod of encouragement.

Sam cleared his throat and the table turned their heads towards him in unison. "Alright, who's going to say grace, tonight?"

"Oh, for fuck's sake, Mama Bird, it'll take you ten minutes just to get through your monologue," Clint complained, crossing his arms.

"Clint already snuck a bite there's no point, now," Scott stated as he reached for the rice.

Sam shot his arm out, nearly spilling his cup of earl grey, and pulled the pot away from him. Scott leaned over and grabbed the other end of the pot, yanking it towards himself. Clint took the opportunity to sneak a piece of chicken into his mouth and watched the exchange with a smug smirk.

"Barton, if you think I didn't see that," Sam warned, still glaring at Scott.

Bucky watched the bickering with annoyance before glancing at Jessabell. She looked alarmed at the sight, but at least the tension in her seemed to have softened.

"Christ, Sam, it's not worth it," Bucky pleaded. He looked more tired than annoyed and made to pull the pair's hands off the rice before they let it go on their own. "Thank you," he emphasized sarcastically, sinking back into his chair.

"Sorry about that, Jess," Sam apologized, grabbing the rice and scooping up a spoonful for himself.

Jessabell chuckled lightly. "It's fine," she said, throwing on another weak smile.

There was a small pause before Scott's itching hands seized the pot of rice once Sam was done. Bucky threw him a look and he backed down, ladling a scoopful onto Jessabell's plate, Wanda's, Bucky's, and then his own.

Helping himself to Sam's vindaloo, the table finally settled into their dinner. Clint and Scott waited for no one and dug into their food, noticeably less noisily tonight. Bucky watched, mildly amused at how carefully, almost daintily, Jessabell ate her's in contrast.

As always, the curry was delicious and Bucky murmured his compliments to Sam in between bites. The others nodded and hummed in agreement. The dinner continued, the sounds of thoughtful chewing and silverware clinking against the plates filling in the quiet.

After an obnoxious swallow, Scott asked through another mouthful, "So, Jess, how long have you had your," he made a motion with his hand in the air, "your powers?"

Jessabell blinked at him. "Oh, I thought they filled you in." Scott shook his head and shrugged, pushing her into conversation. "About a year now, I think." She nodded to herself. "Yeah, a year."

"Cool," he replied, bobbing his head up and down. "What's it like?"

Jessabell tensed up at the question and her eyes darted back down to her plate. "Ummm… exhausting?" she tried. With her spoon, she began to swirl the curry sauce around her plate before quickly adding, "But it's getting better, now."

"Wanda's helping her," Bucky muttered. There was a pause and Bucky looked up to find everyone looking at him. He quickly shoved his spoon into his mouth and swallowed a slice of potato, nearly whole. "I—I heard," he choked out.

"Yeah," Jessabell confirmed. "She's the pro."

"So, what, you can't use them to help us find those weirdos that 'locked you up'?" Clint asked, throwing in air quotes. The room went dead silent.

Jessabell swallowed hard, her face going a deep red. The tint indicated something different from before. She wasn't embarrassed this time.

"I tried," she answered flatly, glancing at Wanda before settling her eyes on Clint. Her gaze made the archer tense a little, stopping his chews briefly before recovering into a scowl. "It seems like they're blocking me out."

Clint grumbled something under his breath before Sam spoke up.

"Clint, we've been through this," reminded Sam. Bucky mirrored Sam's disapproving look, but it was nothing compared to the daggers from Wanda's eyes.

Steve and Wanda had explained Jessabell's story to everyone. But not everyone was completely convinced. If he were honest, neither was Bucky. But he trusted their judgment. The least he could do was give her a chance to prove his doubts wrong.

Clint, however, didn't give two shits.

"Yeah, whatever," he muttered, returning to his plate, his frown deepening.

Scott, having remained silent through the exchange, cleared his throat.

"You should join us for training tomorrow," he offered, wiping his chin with a napkin. "Then, we can see what you can do."

"Dude," Clint mumbled warningly at Scott. Bucky's eyes flicked over to Jessabell, her ears tinting at Clint's dissent.

"Oh, I wouldn't want to slow you guys down," Jessabell replied, her eyes flicking over to Bucky's for a split second. Bucky coughed through the potato mush in his mouth, nearly choking again.

"Nah," Scott waved off her apprehension. "It'll be fun."

"Well," Jessabell shrugged, "If everyone else is cool with it?" She gestured at the others at the table in question.

"Yes, they are," Wanda answered, throwing Clint a pressing look. Clint only stared back, his jaw clearly tensed as he chewed through his bite of food.

"Alright, cool," Scott nodded and offered Jessabell his goofiest smile before returning his attention to his plate.

Jessabell smiled back, the gesture brightening her face. "Cool," was all she said before the table went quiet again.

Clint rushed through his four usual helpings and watched, bored, as the others cleaned their plates, leaving no traces of rice or curry sauce in their wake. Scott finished next, despite taking some time to speak to Jessabell. He drummed his fingers lightly against the table, eyeing Clint. The pair were making to ditch their dishwashing duties. Bucky could see it in their eyes.

"Just go if you're going to do a shitty job washing the dishes," Bucky said before taking the last sip of his beer. Clint and Scott feigned looks of offense before taking a quick glance to each other and shrugging in unison.

"If you insist," muttered Scott, pushing his chair away from the table. Before he stood up, he waved at Jessabell. "See ya tomorrow, Jess!"

"G'night!" she waved back, shyly, before giving Clint a nod of her head. Clint only grunted in response, earning him a soft, invisible slap to the shoulder from Wanda.

"Jeez! Night!" Clint called, already heading out of the dining room. Scott followed suit, both off to play Mario Kart again until dawn broke.

Bucky shook his head and turned his attention to the empty bottle in front of him, waiting silently as the others finished their meal. When Wanda downed the last scoop of rice, Bucky motioned for everyone to hand over their dishes.

"Oh, I can help," Jessabell offered, already piling the plates on top of hers. "It's the least I could do."

"No, I got it," Bucky mumbled back, balancing everything he can hold on his arm and chest. He made to grab at Jessabell's pile before she whisked it away from him.

"I want to," she insisted firmly.

"Alright, guys, chill. That many dishes is easily a two man job," Sam interrupted. "Kitchen's that way, Jess." He motioned towards the door behind him. "Just follow Bucky."

"Thanks," Jessabell nodded. He sighed and muttered his goodbyes as he pushed past Sam and ducked into the main hall. Jessabell followed behind him, the plates she carried clinking loudly as she struggled to balance them.

"I can take another half," Bucky offered as he held out his metal arm and balanced his stacks with the other.

"I can handle it."

"Suit yourself."

"Uh huh."

On their way to the kitchen, Bucky and Jessabell passed by the living room. Five minutes into the game and Mario and Luigi were already arguing about bananas and flying turtle shells. Bucky heard Jessabell giggle behind him at the sound.

"It's nice here," Jessabell commented, now clutching the plates close to her chests. "You guys get along great."

Bucky turned and gave her a puzzled look before ducking his head into the kitchen.

"Well, I mean, in a weird way," she continued. "But I imagine you guys are weird people, anyways."

"Thanks?" Bucky replied, setting down the dishes next to the sink.

Jessabell did the same before eloquently elaborating. "Yeah, but, like, in a good way."

"Okay." Bucky turned to the sink and flipped the faucet on, the hot water stinging his flesh hand before it cooled down. "Soap and scrub's under the window."

He watched as Jessabell rummaged through the cabinet below one of the few windows in the house. Why Sam insisted on keeping everything as far as reasonably possible from where it's needed, Bucky had no idea.

Her head popped out behind the little door, the soap bottle and week old scrub in hand.

"There you go." Jessabell handed over the bottle to Bucky before ripping the scrub into two. "Two man job," she reminded as she tossed the larger piece to his free hand.

Bucky caught his half without so much as a glance in her direction and got to work. Jessabell scrubbed her half silently, paying too much attention to the bubbles forming under her hands. Her gaze was distant as she slipped into deep thought. Bucky reminded himself of Sam's words from a few hours before. He knew how to talk, he just needed to get a conversation going and ease into it.

"So, you feeling better?"

The question pulled Jessabell out of her trance with a jump. She looked up at him, confused.

"Oh, small talk now?" she asked, raising her brow at him.

"I wouldn't call your health small talk," he replied, raising his own brow at her.

"Ahhh, yes, like my health is an actual concern of yours," Jessabell answered, turning her attention back to the suds.

Bucky grunted, ready to go into complete silence before he remembered what Steve said.

"It would be good if you weren't worse." Bucky's face scrunched up in a cringe he hoped she didn't see. What the hell did he just say? It sounded just fine in his head. Express concern: check. Express desire to see improvement: check. Act natural like a human being: fuck the seventy years without positive social interactions.

"Oh, boy, thanks," Jessabell chuckled lightly. She glanced at him quickly before moving on to her next dish. "I do. I mean I might just get killed by one of you by accident tomorrow."

"Right," Bucky nodded. The silence that followed as Bucky thought of what to say next tightened his throat into a muting knot.

Tell her they're just a bunch of idiots especially during training?

No.

Actually, yes, but they're still capable of taking someone of her small frame down if she didn't want to fight back.

Tell her they'll go easy on her?

No, with the mood Barton's in and Lang and Wanda's itch to get back into the field, they wouldn't even try. In any case, she may feel weak, but she sure as hell isn't with powers and guts like hers. She just needed to know how to hold them off.

"I could—" Bucky's voice caught on the tightness in his throat. "I could give you some pointers."

There was a brief moment of silence as Jessabell processed his offer.

"Oh, cool, yeah, sure," she finally said, suddenly scrubbing her pot with some vigor.

"I was going to work out, anyway, so, you know, you won't be a bother," Bucky stammered. She nodded back, still intent on getting rid of a clump of rice stuck to the pot.

After a few moments of silence, Jessabell spoke up. "I would've fought, too, you know."

"For what?"

"My freedom. When they tried to take you in I mean."

Bucky shrugged. "I don't know. If I just turned myself in, maybe we wouldn't be stuck here." He didn't plant the bomb in Vienna, but he still had the Winter Soldier's history to answer for. If he had just told Steve and Sam to turn him in, maybe they would've ended up signing. Then, they wouldn't have had to call in Clint, Wanda, or Scott. They would all be under intense regulation, but at least they could live out their lives with their friends and families.

"Well, you probably would've been stuck somewhere else without each other," Jessabell tried. "I don't know what's worse."

Bucky shook his head. "I don't know. They could've dealt with the Accords given the chance."

"Fuck the Accords." She set the pot aside, moving on to the next plate of her pile. "It sucks."

"You don't think people should be held accountable for their actions?" Bucky asked. Even he thought the agreement was reasonable. He wouldn't tell Steve, but people with abilities like theirs should be kept in check. Besides, if they were ever too unhappy about their orders, Bucky knew Steve and even Sam would throw the agreements out the window eventually.

"No, I do, I just think being subject to a bunch of world powers like that isn't the best way of going about it," she explained.

"How else could they?"

"You're all human," Jessabell answered. "Guilt always does the trick." The hardened chunk of sauce finally dislodged from the pot, sending soapy water to her blouse.

Bucky handed her a rag to wipe at the stain. "What happens when they get out of line?"

"Okay, Professor Barnes, I didn't exactly have time to study up for the exam," Jessabell quipped, frowning at him. Bucky only shrugged in return.

"Some people just need to have faith that they won't." She sighed at Bucky's look of disbelief. "I had to have faith in you to get me out of that prison."

Bucky felt himself tense, but he shrugged it off, turning his attention back to scrubbing. "Doesn't answer the question."

"Ugh, well, if you mean like the heroes turning on us?" She shook her head and thought to herself for a moment. "Then, they're not heroes anymore and some new badass team will step up against them and it'll be this long-lasting cycle, so ha!"

Bucky snorted and glanced at her incredulously. "All this on faith alone?" He handed her the soap bottle, noticing her scrub was in need of new suds.

"Why not?" Jessabell took the bottle and slathered her greying scrub with the blue liquid. "You proved me right. Literally everything pointed to you still being Hydra—and, hell, there were already rumors going around that Captain America was Hydra all along. Like, what kind of bullshit is that?"

She was right. Steve Rogers working with Hydra was complete bullshit under any context.

"Then, that should've told you I was a dead-end."

"Well, I couldn't bring myself to believe that half the Avengers were Nazis. They've survived and put up through too much shit to save the world just for them to end up being evil people all along." Another frown formed on her face and it wasn't from how hard she was brushing down the silverware.

"Good thing the Accords don't affect you then."

"Ha!" Jessabell laughed, bitterly. "Well, to be fair, it probably wouldn't have if I was more careful."

Bucky looked at her quietly. Another knot formed at his throat. He didn't think this through. Next time, he won't bring up political affairs so confrontationally.

"Barnes, I'm an inhuman," Jessabell explained. "People are scared of my kind. I was just lucky enough to get powers that aren't so obvious."

"Yeah, I did some research," Bucky said quietly.

"Well, then you know what they do to us," she nodded, her voice low. "The Accords would've been our end. People already see us as more threatening than the Avengers."

Bucky nodded, closer to understanding. "They would do more than just make you sign."

Jessabell bit her lip and let out a shaky sigh. "I mean, they have an inhuman database. That—that doesn't sound so bad to others, but really? If they didn't mean to hurt us, then why demand all the personal info from someone?"

Bucky went completely silent before he realized where she was going with this.

"People need to have faith that you won't turn on them."

Jessabell nodded at this. "Sure, and also to realize that as much as we've changed, we're still people. We still want to have jobs, go to school, be with our family and friends."

"Sorry I brought it up," Bucky apologized, clearing his throat as he did so.

"It's fine." Jessabell nodded. There was a beat. "I never actually got to talk that out with someone before, so, if anything, thanks."

"Oh," was all Bucky could say. Suddenly, he didn't feel so uncomfortable anymore.

His dishes all scrubbed, he began to rinse and dry off his half as Jessabell did the same. A few more moments of silence—with an occasional shriek from the living room making Jessabell jump— and they finally finished.

Jessabell handed the last stack of plates to Bucky before he closed the dish cabinet shut.

"I, um, I don't know my way back," Jessabell admitted to him as they walked out of the kitchen. Bucky only nodded as he lead the way to Wanda's room in silence.

As they neared her door, Bucky stopped and leaned against the wall. "I'll wait for you here."

"Huh?"

"Get into something comfortable." He motioned at her pants and blouse. "You're not wearing that to train are you?"

"Well, no," she picked at the hem of her shirt before narrowing her eyes. "You mean train now?"

"Yes. Train. Now." Bucky rolled his eyes.

 _Be polite. Hell, try being charming,_ Steve's advice echoed in his head.

"But like sleep?"

"Sleep isn't going to take Barton down."

"Well, okay," Jessabell nodded. "No rest for superheroes then."

"You're not a superhero," Bucky muttered as she made her way past him to Wanda's door.

"I saved your life, didn't I?" Jessabell reminded him again before slipping into the bedroom and locking the door behind her.

* * *

"Hey, you," Jess greeted Wanda, a smile returning to her face at the sight of her. Wanda looked up from her laptop and tugged one of her earbuds off.

"Hey," she smiled sheepishly. "This show is great by the way," Wanda motioned at her screen. "I think I'm in love with Leslie Knope."

"I know, right? She's everything, honestly," Jess nodded in agreement as she plopped herself down beside her. "You almost done?"

"Yes, oh my god, please tell me they all just stay and live happily ever after in Pawnee."

"Uhhh, I'm not spoiling anything," Jess said as she nestled Wanda's earbud back into place. "Now, hurry up and finish, I've got more shows you need to see."

"Alright." Wanda nodded before settling back into her bed. "Are you going to sleep soon?"

"Ummm, no, Barnes offered to give me a few tips before training tomorrow."

"Oh?" Wanda's lips twisted into a cheeky smile as she leaned forward, curious. "I told you he'd come around."

"I figured it was that or another depression sleep so," Jess shrugged. "Anyways, I need everything there is to know so I won't die tomorrow."

"Oh, you'll be fine," Wanda rolled her eyes at her. "Just use what I taught you."

"I just hope they don't think I'm trying to kill them." Jess shrugged, only giving Wanda a weak smile before pushing off her bed. She made her way to Wanda's closet and looked through her neatly organized clothes.

Jess noticed something new hanging at the end of the rung, covered in a black, sheen fabric.

"Workout stuff are in the bottom drawer." Wanda pointed before opening it for Jess with a curl of her finger.

"Ah, thanks." Jess rummaged through it, looking for some loose clothing that could fit her.

"Hey, Jess?"

She turned around and saw Wanda looking at her curiously. Jess nodded her head, motioning for her to go on.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah?" Jess answered, twisting her brows in fake confusion. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I'm getting a strange feeling from you since we had dinner," Wanda admitted. She had pushed her laptop out of the way to give Jess her full attention.

"I was just nervous," Jess explained.

Jess would like to point out she's technically not lying.

"Oh," Wanda nodded, trying to look believing. "Clint didn't help with that at all."

"It's fine, I didn't expect him to like me."

"He could at least show you some respect." Wanda crossed her arms and frowned.

"Don't worry about it, I'm fine," Jess reassured, trying to keep her tone soft. She turned back to the drawer and eyed a pair of basketball shorts.

Jess pulled down her slacks, the waist-band catching a bit at her hips. Apparently, bed rest and a handful of full meals every day can make you pack on a few pounds. As she pulled up the shorts over her knees, she felt a slight poke in the back of her mind.

"Wanda, no." Jess shot her a warning look.

"Is it about your friend?" Wanda was onto her. "Jess, you've seen the report." Most of the information in the file Steve had given her was redacted. All it really told her was the Pirogovs escaped, but most of the inhumans in the Hydra facility didn't make it out alive. But Rex did. She must have. Jess could feel that wasn't just a dream. She found her way to Rex's mind.

Another prod came and Jess pushed back. She wasn't in the mood for a mental tug-of-war, so Jess kept her walls up and refused Wanda's attempts into her head.

"I can't believe you're turning on me," Wanda chided jokingly.

"I'm fine. It was just nerves." She couldn't stand the scrutiny much longer. She needed to keep her mind clear of her worries.

After wiggling out of Wanda's blouse, Jess grabbed the next t-shirt she could find and pulled it on. She quickly shut the drawer and avoided her friend's gaze as she made her way to the door.

Jess waved and hurriedly wished Wanda a good night as she closed the door behind her. Barnes stood in the hall, staring quietly at the wall across from him.

"I'm ready," Jess announced, pulling his attention to her. "Let's do this."

"Follow me," Barnes mumbled, marching down the corridor and down a hall Jess hadn't seen before. At the end of it stood an elevator door which opened the second they reached it.

"Are we being watched?" Jess questioned, stepping inside behind Barnes. He pushed the bottom-most button and the doors slid closed in front of them.

"No," Barnes replied, looking at her through the mirror walls. "Why? You got something to hide?"

Jess groaned at this. There's the paranoid, suspicious man she knew.

Barnes sighed and continued. "I checked out the place when they brought me here. Didn't find anything."

"But how'd it know when to open?" Jess asked.

"Wakandan tech is decades ahead of the outside world," Barnes explained as the doors slid open. He walked out first, leading her into a large open space. "You'll see."

"I don't see a whole lot," Jess quipped. The floor was mostly empty with a few scattered mats and towels strewn across black, plush benches. She watched as Barnes jogged up to the blank wall across from them. He reached up, feeling across it with his flesh hand and lightly pushed against it.

A rush of air suddenly sucked Jess forward as the wall sunk into the floor, revealing a whole other room.

"Okay, I take it back," Jess muttered, impressed with the layout before her. Weapons of all kinds lined the walls to her left and right. Grated walls and glass casings prevented her curious hands from laying a finger on them. That was probably for the best as a few of them glowed a heavenly light blue from God knows what. On the other side, Jess could see the silhouette of a jet and some classic looking motorcycles past the black, translucent wall.

"This is pretty cool." As she admired their weapons collection, Barnes dragged a handful of mats into the center of the room before sitting himself down.

"Come here," Barnes called to Jess, waving a roll of gauze wrapping at her. She complied and sat in front of him, holding out her right hand first.

"I'll be honest, I don't think my punches will do much," Jess said as Barnes wrapped the first layer just under her fingers.

"That's why we're here."

"I was thinking I'd just use my powers, you know, maybe put you guys to sleep?" Jess's hand twitched as Barnes's cold metal fingers smoothed out her palm.

"You think we haven't dealt with mind tricks before?" Barnes asked, moving on to her left hand. "You're not the only one Wanda's helped out."

"Oh, huh," Jess shrugged. "Well, shit, okay."

"You're going to need to get close to do that, right?"

Jess nodded.

"Then, you'll need to know how to deal with their punches." Barnes tugged on the ends of the wraps, fitting them around her hands snugly. "Comfortable?"

Jess stretched her fingers and closed them tight into fists before nodding. "Yup, all good."

Barnes tossed the roll to the corner of the room. He got up and motioned for Jess to join him on the mat, placing a few feet between them.

"These guys may seem like idiots, but they're highly trained idiots," Barnes began, stretching out his arm and legs as he talked. "Even Scott."

Jess mirrored his movements. Despite the heavy pressure on her chest, Jess felt the rest of her muscles warm up and relax.

"Who is he anyway?" she asked as she bent to touch her toes. The action stung the backs of her legs a little. "Like what does he do?"

"Honestly, I asked myself that the moment I met him," Barnes retorted. Then, he smiled to himself as if remembering something. "You'll see."

"Okay, Doctor Misterio," Jess rolled her eyes. Couldn't he be a little more open? Not like she'll run around telling people who Scott is. Heck, probably half the world knew at this point with the whole manhunt against them.

Barnes's face scrunched up at her reference before he relaxed and raised his fists up. "Actually, I'm not supposed to say anything about most things to you," he admitted.

"Oh, boy, well, here we go," Jess muttered as she balled up her hands and raised her shaky fists.

"Relax, we'll see how you move first, then I'll start showing you how to fight," Barnes explained.

The sight of a person of his size positioned to attack shook Jess a little despite his eyes softening in reassurance.

"Okay," was all she squeaked before Barnes lunged forward, throwing his metal fist first. Jess yelped as it grazed the top of her scalp even as she dodged the blow.

Wasting no time, Jess pushed past him. Well, pushed as in almost bouncing off Barnes's body and running for her life to hide behind the nearest punching bag. He turned and leapt after her, making circles as she moved around the stand to keep it between her and Barnes.

"Not gonna lie, this is scary," Jess called out, nervously backing away from him, dragging the stand with her.

"Scary?" Barnes asked as he stalked towards her. "I haven't even started."

Even with his features softened, his calculated movements made Jess tug on the bag harder with her already aching arms.

"Cool," Jess called. She eyed him suspiciously as he slowed his gait. This boy is about to make a move.

Barnes barked, straight up barked like an angry puppy, as he charged towards her, sending a bolt up her spine. Jess leapt to the side as his body slammed into the bag.

For a moment, she lay on the floor, shooting him a glare. Barnes froze at this, his metal hand steadying himself against the stand.

He pushed the bag to the ground and turned her way. Jess quickly got on her feet and headed for a pair of batons sitting on one of the benches in the other room. She heard Barnes's footsteps behind her as she scooped them up, turning to face him.

The batons felt heavy in her hands and Jess hoped to God they were enough to slow him down. With a ragged breath, she threw one in his direction and watched as it spun into his metal hand with a clink.

"Oh, come on!" Jess groaned before running towards him, the other baton raised to strike.

The weapon, lined with a silver, polished metal, hit Barnes's chest as Jess put all her strength into the blow. The impact blew the air out of him, his knees bucking, but he kept his stance.

"Fucking, vibranium," he cursed clutching his flesh hand to his chest where Jess hit him.

"Fuck! Sorry!" Jess gasped, dropping the baton, kneeling down, and reaching for him.

She shouldn't have done that.

Barnes's free flesh arm wrapped around her waist before whipping her into a tight headlock. His metal arm locked her limbs at her sides. Jess struggled against his grip, kicking at his legs as he pulled her up into a standing position.

"Oh my god, you jerk," Jess hissed. She slapped at his arm uselessly as he let go of the baton he had caught earlier. Barnes made sure to keep his exposed skin away from her reach. "See? This is why I need my powers."

"No, this is why you need to stop relying on your powers. I could've broken your neck before you had the chance to stop me," Barnes corrected.

Charming.

He loosened his grip on her slightly, but kept her in place. As much as she was starting to hate this, Jess needed it. Who knows what the faceless Pirogov can do with his mind? She knows she can hold him off, but can she take him down? She's only just gotten the freedom to discover and hone her abilities. Knowing how to physically fight can give her an edge he doesn't have.

"Why are you helping me? I mean really?"

"Think of this as payment for saving my life," Barnes returned.

"Well, you helped me escape. I think we're more or less even." Tired of his hold, Jess tried twisting free of his arms to no luck. Barnes stood, perfectly comfortable and probably bored.

"Hey, Barnes," Jess started, an idea popping into her head. "Are you ticklish?"

Jess felt him tense behind her.

A much too long silence dragged on between them before he finally answered, "No."

"Too late," Jess warned, reaching behind her and wiggling her fingers at Barnes's sides.

Barnes nearly choked from his attempts to suppress his laughter. He struggled against her attacks, twisting his torso away from her.

"Shit! Stop!" Barnes breathed into her ear as he lifted her off the ground.

"Then, let go!" Jess giggled with a yelp as she moved her fingers up dangerously close to his underarms. Barnes's knees buckled again and Jess used the opportunity to throw her weight forward, kicking her legs out as hard as she could. With his balance already thrown off, Jess knocked Barnes off his feet and sent him to the ground with one final wiggle of her fingers.

The fall knocked the air out of the both of them. They lay there for a moment before Barnes finally released Jess from the headlock. Not trusting him at all, Jess propped herself up on her elbows and crawled as far as she could before collapsing on a mat a few feet from him.

"Okay," she breathed, her chest heaving. "So, all I need to do is to tickle them into submission, right?"

"No," Barnes grunted somewhere to her right.

"Worked on you," Jess answered back.

"Nah, you used your powers or something," Barnes tried, now sitting himself up.

"I did not!" Jess defended herself. Or did she? As she practiced more with Wanda, using her powers felt more natural and effortless to her than ever before. "Okay, maybe, I might've. But!" Jess started to giggle again. "You're ticklish."

"Everyone's ticklish," Barnes muttered, sounding slightly bitter.

"Huh, the Winter Soldier, ticklish, who would've thought?" Jess turned to her side and raised a brow at him.

"Don't call me that," Barnes said, glaring at her in return. His eyes darkened for a moment and Jess had to swallow at the knot in her throat before she spoke again.

"Sorry," she apologized as she stood up. Jess made her way to Barnes and offered her hand to pull him up. To her surprise, he accepted it and got up with no effort on her part.

"Yeah," Barnes mumbled before turning away from her and retreating to the weapons room. Jess followed quietly, keeping some distance between them. Barnes motioned to the mat he lay at the center of the room, raising his fists at her once more.

"When you're sparring, position yourself like this," Barnes nodded at himself.

Jess mirrored the pose: fists raised to protect her face, legs apart, and knees slightly bent.

"Good, but your right leg and arm should be behind you, so, switch," Barnes ordered, pointing at her limbs with his metal fist.

Jess jumped and flipped her position, nodding at Barnes to continue.

"In this position, you can punch twice," Barnes explained as he jabbed his left fist before swinging his right one forward. "Try it."

Jess mimicked the punches, trying to put some strength into her right swing.

"Good, now try punching me," Barnes said as he took a step closer to her. Jess sighed, knowing her best effort won't do much harm, but she readied herself anyways.

Right leg back, fists up, and Jess lunged forward, wrapping her arms around Barnes's waist and throwing all her weight onto him. The leap struck him by surprise and Barnes only had time to throw his arms behind him to catch their fall.

Once Barnes's hands met the mat, Jess shoved them out from under him, making him fall on his back with a soft thud. She pushed herself off of him, rolling to his side before kicking him over onto his chest and leaping onto him once again.

"I said, ' _punch_ '," Barnes growled under her, his voice muffled against the mat.

"And I said my punches wouldn't do much, so what's the point?" Jess countered, grabbing his flesh wrist and pinning him to the ground. To be fair, he wasn't putting up much of a fight, but Jess needed to get her point across.

"Now," she tried imitating his teaching voice. "Show me how to handle your so-called idiots."

"Get off of me." Barnes nudged at her casually crossed legs with his shoulder. Jess let go of his wrist and pushed herself off before returning to her spot beside him. "We can take a break."

Barnes must have sensed her weariness.

Her muscles ached and sweat dripped all over her, but she wasn't stopping now. Hell, she was finally having conversations with Barnes that didn't completely involve her alleged fishiness. Well, they weren't completely pleasant either, but she'll take what she can get.

Jess shook her head, wiping at the sweat along her temple. "No, I'm fine, what else?"

"You know one thing," Barnes huffed. "Stay low, aim for the abdomen."

Jess smiled, a little proud of herself.

"Because you're so short," Barnes added, smirking a little when Jess's face went sour.

"Five-foot, two and three quarters," Jess said, her face hardening into a scowl.

"Only a short person would know their exact height," Barnes quipped with a shrug.

"Okay, Donkey Kong, let's go," Jess challenged, jumping up into her fighting stance. It was Barnes's turn to glare.

"I am not—Did Sam tell you—?"

Jess only laughed before offering her hand once more to pull him to his feet. "Okay: tickle, stay low. What else?"

"You know how you went for my stomach?" Barnes patted his belly. "Try going for whatever arm or leg they're swinging at you instead."

"Like block it?" Jess asked. Barnes shook his head and shifted into his spar stance.

"Take advantage," he corrected. "Here, take a swing."

Jess obeyed and swung her right fist, aiming for his waist. With her arm half-extended, Barnes caught the inside of her elbow with his metal hand. Jess flinched, expecting a harsh, bruising grip, but his fingers grasped her arm just firmly enough to stop her. Taking advantage of her surprise, Barnes spun on his heel, knelt down, and flipped Jess onto her back before she could even take a breath.

Jess groaned at the new pain in her back, a dull ache that would've been worse if not for the foam under her. "I… can't… do… that," Jess choked out between her gasps. "How can you expect me to flip people, Avengers for that matter, so easily?" She opened her eyes to find Barnes kneeling beside her. His face twisted into what looked like concern.

"Fighting isn't easy," Barnes replied. "You can use that move against Barton or Lang; they're short enough. Watch out for Lang, he might've gotten his suit back. In that case, put him to sleep."

"Suit?" Jess questioned, placing a hand over her face, exhausted.

"Don't be surprised if he disappears," Barnes explained. "Or gets real big, but he doesn't do that often."

"Cool, okay," Jess breathed, nearly ignoring his advice. Sweat covered her body, staining Wanda's workout clothes and trickling into the mat below her. "And what about Steve?"

"Go for his legs. Again: stay low." Barnes shifted beside her. "We can call it a night if you want," he offered.

Jess let her hand slip from her face and blinked her eyes open again to see him stand. He extended his flesh arm to her and Jess took it, wobbling on the balls of her feet before balancing herself.

"Thanks," she mumbled. She wanted to keep training, but she was starting to feel the consequences of dream travelling. Keeping up a psychic link exhausted her in and of itself. Maintaining one on her own drained her.

"You okay?"

"Mhmm," she hummed, her eyes already half way to closing.

Barnes's hand left hers to hover at her back as he guided her to the elevator. As she shuffled inside, he pressed the button to what Jess assumed was the floor to the bedrooms. Jess watched with tired eyes as the doors began to close, leaving Barnes on the other side.

"Oh! G'night!" Jess hollered at him as he turned away.

" _Good night, Jessabell_ ," she heard Barnes murmur as the elevator ascended.

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ Hey y'all, I was supposed to post this like three weeks ago but yo girl got appendicitis and was stuck in a no wi-fi hospital, guys, it was wild. I was so low on data, too, I had to watch day-time television.

Anyways, chapters should be much longer now and hopefully I can keep up with regular updates, but, you know, college. Please review, I really love hearing from you guys and I need as much feedback as I can on this mainly to reassure myself I'm not just wasting my time to prep for college writing classes haha.


	7. Chapter 7

"Wanda and Scott are with us. From what Jess said, we're going to need them. Wanda's taking the telepath and Scott's got some ideas for the Sparky dude. Sorry, man, but Steve's right. They want you. We can't take the risk of bringing you along." Sam's video message cut to black before Clint's glowering face took its place.

"And keep an eye on her will you? Wanda said she was acting weird." Clint's gaze shifted away. Somehow, his scowl deepened. "What did I do now?!"

Somewhere off-camera came Wanda's voice. "Maybe, if you were a little nicer, she would've been more comfortable."

Clint mimicked her chiding tone. "Well, _maybe,_ if she were a little less _shady_ , I would've been more comfortable."

"Who said I gave a shit about your comfort at the time?" Wanda's voice raised an octave and Bucky could hear a minute shift to her original accent. "She was intimidated by you, dummy, and your attitude was terrible."

Beside Clint, Bucky could see Scott shift uncomfortably in his seat.

"Hey, guys, can we just—"

"He should know what he did," Wanda said simply.

"Wait, what did he do?" Steve's voice jutted in. He must have been sitting in front of Clint.

Bucky frowned at the sound of his voice. Steve left him behind. The one time he managed to fall asleep, they pull this shit on him. These people were risking their lives for his useless ass again. He didn't want to stay here while they fought his battles for him. He should've gone with them.

"He was kind of an ass to Jess at dinner last night." Sam returned to the conversation, but still off-camera. Clint's eye fluttered shut as the other rolled itself at Sam.

"Kind of?" Wanda scoffed.

"So were you," Clint muttered to Sam, his eyes shut like he was trying to ignore everyone around him.

"Oh, grow up!" Wanda spat. "Your children have better manners, _you asshole_!"

"I'm not a child, kid!"

"You literally sleep hugging that life size teddy bear of yours," Scott said.

"It provides torso support!"

"Against what?" Wanda rolled her eyes. "Gravity?"

"Hey! It was your brother that shot me—"

"Clint, if you don't shut up, you're staying on the jet!" Sam cut in. Clint muttered something under his breath, too low for the microphone to pick up.

Sam's outburst shut everyone up, but the message kept going. Only a low hum and a periodic beeping sound kept the jet from going completely quiet. Bucky watched, bored, as Clint made faces at no one and Scott studied the controls along his arm rest. His eyes lingered at a green blinking button before he pressed it.

"Oh, shit!"

Bucky flinched at the same time Scott jumped in his seat. The camera popped out too close to Scott's face, giving Bucky a close up of his nostrils. He pushed the contraption away and wiped the lens with his finger, smudging it more.

"Oh! Oh, is this still on?" Scott squinted at the camera. "Guys, it's been recording this entire time."

"Just press the button below the green one," Steve instructed. He should know. He gave Bucky a message before every mission to apologize for not bringing him along.

"Oh! Ahhh, wait! Hey, Bucky, can you tell Jess we're sorry about ditching her—"

"I'm not." Clint was still awake. There was a light slapping sound. "Ow! Wanda!"

"—ditching her before training? We were supposed to go on the mission after!" He had to raise his voice against Clint's shouts. "Tell her we'll do one before she leaves!"

"That's it!" Sam shouted, making Scott flinch, before telling every one to shut up.

"Sorry, Bucky, gotta go." Scott waved half-heartedly at him and the hologram went blank.

That explains why Steve wasn't at dinner last night. He was letting T'Challa know about today's hit. The others must have been in on it by dinner, too. That explains why Clint didn't try anything against him last night even with his mood.

Bucky waved the hologram away and kicked the covers off his bed. He wiped his tired eyes and yawned, stretching his arms out above his head. No wonder he got such a good night's sleep. Wanda must have put him under again.

Bucky didn't feel like going out for a run today and he shouldn't. It was just him and Jessabell in the bunker. As much as he may have started to warm up to her, he should stay here. The team might need something from the base, anyway.

"Asa?"

"Yes, Mr. Barnes?" The robotic voice, warm and calm, filled the quiet of the room.

"What time does Jessabell wake up?" Bucky asked.

"Around noon. Shall I wake her?" Jesus Christ, noon?

"Nah, let her sleep." Bucky shook his head at the ceiling above. He frowned at the clock. It was half past seven. His bedroom was still dark, the shades blocking out the light of the sunrise. Without looking up, his metal hand felt for the controls and tapped the button for the lights.

Bucky squinted at the brightness for a moment as his eyes adjusted. He grabbed his neatly folded t-shirt from his nightstand and pulled it on as he climbed out of bed. His slippers sat just in front of the bathroom door. Bucky slipped them on, stepped inside his bathroom, and felt for the light switch. Flipping it on, Bucky frowned at his reflection in the mirror. His beard grew faster than the chia plants in those commercials Clint insisted were funny. He turned on the faucet and let the cold water run down his hand before splashing it on his face. He could take a shower now or after breakfast. No, he has to have breakfast with Jessabell. He should shower now.

After wiping down the sink, Bucky tapped at the controls next to his shower stall. The water instantly began to stream out of the opening above. As he slipped inside, the steam started to fog up the glass door. Bucky initiated his normal shower routine as he tried to push away the worry about Steve and his friends.

Jessabell was in a much better state than Bucky thought. The small fractures in her hand and skull healed by the time they returned to Wakanda. She insisted they were old injuries, but the jet's exterior security footage said something different. She exhausted easily, but pushed past her limits. Jessabell's powers combined with the right intensive training and she could just about match any of them in combat.

That is, if it was an option in the first place.

Nevertheless, something about her irked Bucky. He could see a sense of loneliness in her. She became fast friends with Wanda, sure, and was clearly infatuated with Steve, but her uneasiness and somber glances showed a deep sadness within her. Steve and Sam said she didn't have any contacts to help integrate her back into society. Whether that was actually true or not, Bucky wasn't sure. Maybe, she didn't want to involve people she trusted in her troubles. Maybe, she thought going at it alone was the way to go.

Bucky was able to survive that way for a few years. Jumping from place to place, leaving no trace of himself in his wake. No friends, obviously no family, and no attachments. He finally settled in Romania, something about the place felt familiar to him, but that didn't last long. Having Steve back, meeting Sam and the others, finally finding some peace thanks to T'Challa and his people. That's what saved him. That's what gave him a life.

No one should have to carry on without the company of their loved ones. Hopefully after this mission, another person wouldn't have to.

"Mr. Barnes, Ms. Mendoza has awakened," announced Asa. Bucky frowned at the ceiling. She was up early.

"Okay, I'm almost done," Bucky replied, quickly rinsing the soap off his body. He shut off the water and patted himself dry with a towel before stepping out of the shower.

His room was cold as he entered. A fresh white t-shirt and a pair of jeans waited for him at the end of his bed. Asa insisted on picking out an outfit for him every morning. The body-less computer program managed to rummage through his dresser and place a set of neatly folded clothes on his bed without a sound or any indication of movement. They were always there after he showered. Bucky learned to not question Wakandan tech.

Sam had rolled his eyes at him with his plain taste in clothing. Before going off on his own "vacations", he would ask everyone if they wanted anything from the outside world.

Wanda gave him a laundry list of cooking spices. Sam obliged, adding his own into the mix. Clint wanted Skittles, insisting the ones in Wakanda were different like they tasted like anything other than sugar. Sam ignored him and just waited until they got their food supply shipment from the City. Steve never asked for anything but for Sam to get back safe and sound. Sam would roll his eyes again, but a smirk would reveal itself once Steve looked away.

Scott asked for a picture of his growing daughter. The poor guy hadn't seen her in a year. He didn't want her and her family to get involved, so he only ever saw his Hope during vacation. But Sam never makes it to California. His ailing mother needed him home and not a single FBI, Interpol, or other government-backed agent was going to stop her.

Bucky asked for Steve's wish to be granted, lest the wrath of Steven Grant Rogers be unleashed on the world. Sam wholeheartedly rolled his eyes at this and enlisted the others for help.

The first time Sam came back, Bucky received boxes filled with his own gifts, including a refurbished Polaroid with plenty of film. Sam and Steve had pooled their allowances to get him the vintage camera and Bucky had to admit he felt a little warm inside at the gesture. He immediately began taking pictures of the team: portraits and candids; Steve drawing in the corner quietly and Sam scolding someone for something; Wanda cooking with Sam and Scott sparring with Clint; and the team eating together and the backs of Steve, Sam, and Clint heading off for a mission. As mundane as something might have been, Bucky took a picture of it. Eventually, he ran out of film.

Sam was long overdue for another break, but the missions kept coming in. One after the other, the jobs prevented the others from taking their vacations. As selfish as it might sound, at least it made the bunker a little livelier instead of Steve, Bucky, and Wanda being left alone.

Apart from the Polaroid, Bucky received several boxes of trendy ("but it's still Bucky-level basic") clothes. There was so much, he was surprised Sam had fit it all inside the Baby Jet.

Bucky made a face at the denim as he slipped it on. Why were pants sold already faded? And with holes in them already? His first memory of fashionable worn out clothing was the late '80's. Not that Hydra forced him into some baggy, brightly multicolored get-up or at least he hoped. A few flashes of some men and women in that kind of garb staring oddly at him came into his mind.

In any case, Wanda insisted it was "cool" and he looked "damn fine" in it. Actually, Sam had given the latter compliment, so it might have been a joke. Bucky groaned at his dresser mirror, unsure.

"May I say you look handsome today, Mr. Barnes," Asa commented, reading Bucky's hesitance. "And I must inform you, Ms. Mendoza's having a meltdown—"

"Huh?" Bucky questioned, alarmed. Asa had a penchant for over-exaggerating the ordinary and understating the unusual. "Asa, what?"

"Nothing that hasn't happened before—"

"Asa!" Bucky growled, sprinting across his bedroom and out his door. He could hear panicked shouts down the hall followed by the sound of a closing door.

"Wanda! Wanda!"

Bucky followed the sound, a tight feeling forming in his chest. The door at the end of the hall was open. He heard the sound of faint breathing, heavy and wet as he entered the hall kitchen.

Huddled into a corner, Bucky found Jessabell sweaty and hyperventilating. He froze for a moment. He didn't know what to do.

"Jessabell," he said softly so as to not startle her.

"Stop it, stop, please," she sobbed, burying her head deeper into her arms. "Make it stop."

He took a careful step. He was close enough to reach out and touch her, but Bucky knew better.

"What do you want me to do?" Bucky asked.

Jessabell's body shook as she let out a heavy sob. Her hands wrapped around her head, covering her ears, before her fingers tightened around her hair.

"The noise, make it stop!" she cried. Aside from her labored breathing, the room was dead quiet.

"Jessabell, it's just you and me." Bucky crouched down, resting his arms on his thighs as he studied her. She shook her head before slamming it into the cabinets behind her.

"Jessabell!" Bucky shot his hand out and his flesh met hers briefly. The shock of the connection nearly threw him back as the screaming blared in his head for a split second. He hissed at the fleeting pain, wondering how she could endure it for so long.

Jessabell gasped at the touch and closed in on herself further.

"It's not real, it's not," she repeated to herself. Her arms wrapped around her knees and she rested her forehead on her knees. Sweat and tears matted her hair at her cheeks and blocked Bucky from looking her in the eyes. Despite the trembling, her body looked limp and tired, void of color.

Bucky swallowed hard. The sight was difficult to take in.

Bucky tried to level his voice. "I'm here, Jessabell. I'm real."

"No, it's all in my head!" she growled bitterly. She lifted her head and stared blankly at the ceiling, her bottom lip quivering. "Why don't you just kill me Pirogov?!"

Bucky shifted to sit directly in front of her. He wanted to get her eyes, get her to focus on something. It could distract from the noise. It could at least convince her she's really here in a real kitchen with a real Bucky Barnes.

"Jessabell, look at me," Bucky tried. He followed her darting eyes, trying to catch them. Her face scrunched up as if to sob again, but she bit it back. "Jessabell, please."

She shook her head. "It was too good to be true," she breathed out all rough and ragged. She placed a shaky hand to her temple and rubbed the area angrily.

"Jessabell, please, look at me," Bucky pleaded. He wanted to put her hands into his own and keep them from hurting herself any further. "Just look."

Jessabell took a long breath. Slowly, her hand dropped to her lap and she lifted her gaze to his. Her weary eyes were red, the skin around them wet and puffy. Her muscles relaxed a little, but she scooted backwards as if on guard. But she seemed calmer as she tried to control her breathing and focus on him.

"Remember last night? We had dinner with Wanda and Sam. You met Scott. Clint was being a jerk. Then, we sparred, remember?" Bucky recounted. He needed to ground her, give her something to hold on to.

She nodded. "It was so detailed," she spat bitterly. "I'll give Pirogov that."

"No, Jess, it's me, Bucky Barnes," he almost begged.

"You did a pretty good job, long hair and everything," she continued, wiping her sweat with the back of her hand. She let it fall, the skin slapping against the cold tile floor.

Bucky sighed. How was he going to convince her? More importantly, how did this happen? Did she normally wake up and have reactions like this? He wanted to ask Asa, but a talking ceiling might disturb her further.

Bucky pulled back, putting a few feet between himself and Jessabell. He got on his feet, keeping her within sight, and reached for the controls. He quickly tapped at the menu that appeared, muting Asa before putting the main jet on the line. It rang for a moment and Bucky watched as Jessabell stared straight ahead at nothing. The noise must have stopped. The pain was gone from her eyes.

"Bucky?" Clint's face popped up above the sink. "What's up? Is she giving you trouble?"

Bucky glared at the hologram before replying, "Get over it, Clint. Where's Wanda?"

Clint's expression dropped. He glowered at Bucky and answered, "They've sent me back. I'm like an hour away."

"Couldn't keep your mouth shut?" Bucky asked flatly as he raised a brow at him. When Clint frowned, he stared back icily.

"Whatever, man, what do you want?"

"Wanda. The comms system must've rerouted my call," Bucky said. Before Clint could speak, Bucky swiped at his image and ended the call. He'll just connect to Wanda's comms directly.

He tapped at the controls again, typing in Wanda's code name, and waited. The chiming continued and Bucky set it to ring until she picked up. He glanced at Jessabell and found her staring at him curiously.

"You feeling better?"

She just looked at him, studying him with suspicion.

Bucky sighed and sat down again. Her eyes followed. "How can I get you to believe me?" he muttered, mostly to himself. He studied her this time. Finally, she maintained eye contact with him. Her dilated pupils darkened her already muddy eyes in the dim kitchen.

Bucky inched a bit closer to her. She tilted her head to the side, but didn't pull back. Bucky, with a cautious knot in his stomach, extended his flesh hand to Jessabell.

She regarded it warily before giving a small huff. Her hand lifted from her lap and reached for Bucky slowly. Cold, shaking fingers slid over Bucky's palm.

There was a pause as the pitch of the ringing dropped to a hollow silence and Bucky felt himself, his consciousness, his soul get sucked into the touch. Instinct tried to get him to resist, but Bucky fought it.

This felt different from the dream. That felt like an intrusion. This felt like a connection, a higher form of communication. Here, there were no lies to deceive and no where to hide. He wasn't subject to anything, he still had choice, but here he could share only the truth.

For every query Jessabell had, Bucky's consciousness answered. He felt her suspicion waver as he laid out his memories from their meeting in the snow to their good-nights at the elevator. But as he shared a thought about the images they experienced, Jessabell began to give him a piece of her mind.

A frustration, but careful understanding with his cool exterior. Heated irritation with Clint's hostility mixed with a nauseating anxiety about the scrutiny from her rescuers. A breath of relief as she left the dinner table. Fleeting bursts of unease with Bucky's every motion as he followed her around the training room. Sudden fatigue before she retired to her quarters.

Bucky expressed understanding and felt her energy grow warm as she pulled back, pushing Bucky's aura away. The motion made Bucky's stomach churn and he returned to with a gasp. He had closed his eyes during the exchange, opening them to find Jessabell looking away from him.

"Oh, god," Jessabell mumbled, her cheeks red. Color returned to her skin and she looked alive again, but still tired. "I think I forget sometimes."

"How long has it been happening?" Bucky asked. He offered his hand to her again and lifted her to her feet. He backed up slowly, maneuvering her to a bar stool. She slid onto it and shifted until she was comfortable.

"Since I got here," Jessabell cringed. She waved a finger at her head. "Not often though. Wanda usually magicks it away."

"They're out on a mission," Bucky informed her, turning to the stove and putting the kettle on. He opened the cabinets near the sugar and took out their tea jar. He twisted the lid and slid the container to Jessabell.

"A mission?" She shook the contents before plucking out a packet of chamomile. She pushed it back to him and Bucky snatched the last of the earl grey before putting the jar away.

"Yup," Bucky affirmed as he swiped the ringing call away. They must be busy scoping out the place, limiting communication to those on the mission. Priority calls only. A distress call would've been sent out if they were in trouble. There was no need to worry.

"You look worried," Jessabell commented quietly. She bit her lip when he glanced her way. "Who are they after? Unless, it's classified, then never mind I get it, whatever."

Bucky took a moment, pretending to check on the now simmering water. There wasn't a threat of a security breach. He could tell her. He should tell her.

"The Pirogovs."

"Huh?" Jessabell squeaked. She rose from her seat too quickly, catching herself with a hand to the counter. "Where?"

"It's need-to-know. I don't know," Bucky admitted. He settled near Jessabell, motioning for her to sit back down.

She swallowed hard before asking, "They found them?" She looked worried, unsure.

"Wanda got a lead," Bucky answered.

"They all went?"

Bucky nodded. He considered it for a moment and decided she absolutely needed to know this. "But Clint's on his way back."

"Oh, God," she groaned, putting her hands over her face. They slid down and she shook her head. "I should go."

Bucky frowned, watching her as she started to stand. "Why?"

"I make him uncomfortable," Jessabell explained. She waved at her temple and made to turn. "Um, thanks for bringing me back."

Bucky skipped closer and pointed a thumb at the kettle. "Your tea."

As if on cue, the kettle whistled, the pitch rising as it wailed for attention. Bucky reached back and turned the knob and the kettle went quiet.

"Oh, right," Jessabell mumbled. She slipped behind Bucky and eyed the cabinets before pulling one open. Standing on her toes, she reached up and pulled out Bucky's mug and a plain one for herself. Bucky cringed a little as he took the cup from her hand.

Jessabell saw his face twist and laughed. "It's cute," she smiled as she traced a finger around the green circle marked "Starbucky's Coffee". The cartoon Bucky drawn on the mug smirked at her, his arms crossed.

"Steve drew it," Bucky said. He poured the piping hot water into her mug before filling up his own. "Some irony about communism and capitalism."

"Oh, yikes," Jessabell breathed, blowing on her brewing tea. She leaned against the counter, taking careful sips as her eyes darted occasionally to the door.

"If you want to go, I understand," Bucky tried to assure. He dunked his tea bag up and down, waiting for the brew to strengthen. Jessabell's eyes widened before she shook her head vigorously. Her gaze went distant as she regained her composure, the movement having made her dizzy for a moment.

"It's not you, It's Clint," she explained.

"Yeah, but I know I don't make for interesting company either."

Jessabell frowned and quirked a brow. "You make for interesting company," she disagreed. Bucky looked at her, disbelieving, before finally taking a gulp of his earl grey. He winced at the taste. How did Sam drink this stuff?

"You're too nice for your own good."

Her frown deepened as she held the mug close to her lips. "That's not such a bad thing is it?"

"Maybe not for everyone else," Bucky shrugged before holding up the kettle with his metal hand. It was still steaming, still hot enough to fill another cup. Jessabell shook her head, carefully this time, and took another sip.

"What does being mean and bitter accomplish?" she challenged through pursed lips.

"It can keep you out of trouble," Bucky shrugged. And it could. Constantly kind and patient people get taken advantage of.

"I don't think trouble discriminates," she replied.

Bucky didn't have to think twice before nodding. "Good people tend to get hurt."

"So, do bad people," Jessabell shrugged. "And are we really going to get deep and try to define good people versus bad people?"

The corner of Bucky's lips turned up, mirroring Jessabell's faint smirk. "I'll have to get another kettle going." Her smirk turned into a full-fledged smile and Bucky turned to the sink. As the kettle filled with water, Bucky offered, "If you want, we can go upstairs before he comes back."

"Okay," she murmured, taking the kettle from Bucky's hands and setting it on the stove. She turned the knob and flames licked up from burner. "What's upstairs?"

"The roof," Bucky answered. He could feel his stomach start to rumble and could tell Jessabell was hungry, too.

"Like, outside?" Her expression brightened, looking excited, even with her disheveled hair and weary eyes.

Bucky nodded. "With trees and everything."

"There better be fresh air, too," she added. Then, she frowned, noticing Bucky staring at her hair. "Oh god, I look like a mess don't I?"

"Yeah, but it's not a big deal—"

"No, I feel gross," she groaned, patting her hair down to flatten it. It didn't work.

"I can—uh—make breakfast while you wash up," Bucky offered. He thumbed the handle of his cup repeatedly, suddenly feeling strange again.

Jessabell beamed before closing her mouth with a wince. "I'll be quick!"

Bucky watched as she turned and hurried out of the room.

Now, where did Sam hide his Fruit Loops?

* * *

Jess washed her hair hurriedly, not wanting to keep Barnes waiting and not wanting to be alone with her thoughts for too long.

She prayed that Rex was okay and they'll bring her in safe and sound. The kid had experienced enough trauma for a lifetime. If they didn't bring her in, Jess will find her herself.

How come Wanda didn't tell her about the mission? It would've put her mind at ease that they were one step ahead of the Pirogovs. Did they not trust her? Is that why Barnes was left behind? A brooding, but kind of a little adorable, babysitter? Gross. Weird.

Jess scrubbed the sweat and grime from her body, more annoyed than shaken from her latest episode. Disassociating was a normal thing according to Wanda's wisdom. She had experienced it before, thankfully away from any witnesses, but never to this extent.

The thought of waking up one morning not knowing, not trusting, where you were and who you were with scared Jess. What was she going to do when she had to leave? What was she going to do without Wanda's calming pseudo-hypnosis?

Anxiety was bad enough, how was she going to deal with this on her own?

Jess shivered from the cold water as it shot out of the shower head. She didn't bother changing the settings to fit her preferences. She let the water run for a moment, staring blankly at the fogged glass door before her.

If Wanda and the others brought down the Pirogovs, then she was pretty much safe, right? There would be no need to be on the run. I mean she would have to explain her year-long absence, but she could go home, right? At least to see her mother? She pretty much took care of herself her entire life—something Jess wished she picked up on—but Jess wanted to see her Mama.

That way, neither of them had to be alone.

Screw those asshole neighbors of her's, anyways. They never did trust her Mama and her American, born-out-of-wedlock daughter.

Jess sighed as she pushed a button, stopping the flow of the water. She grabbed her towel from its rung and stepped out of the shower. She felt a little sore from last night's workout, but the lasting pain from her latest episode seemed to mask it. As she dried off her body, Jess pulled on her clothes, scowling at the reflection of her stomach stretching out the fabric. She walked away from the mirror and tossed the towel back on the rung before giving the bathroom a quick once over.

Wanda wasn't too tidy either, claiming that a messy home was a mark of a smart person. Jess would've called bullshit, but figured not to call her out on it. Her room, her philosophy, right?

Jess made her way out of the bedroom and towards the smell of frying bacon. Her stomach started to rumble at the smell and Jess realized she was hungry for a fresh, hot meal. Her meals usually got cold by the time Wanda brought it up to her, but she tried not to complain. They were still pretty good, anyways. Last night's dinner, as awkward and frustrating as it was, was amazingly delicious. Who knew fugitives could cook?

Jess finally got to meet the other presence in the house. Scott was warm and sweet, but she still had no idea who he was. Jess could've poked inside his head a little, but she figured not to push it with these guys. Besides, she was kind of a little done with the invasion-of-privacy shit. Unless Privacy was threatening her life or anyone else's, she'll cool it with using her powers for the time being.

Barnes hunched over the stove, cooking up breakfast with four pans going at once. He had turned the lights on and Jess found the kitchen as minimalist as every other room she had seen in the house. From the door, she could see scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, and pancakes and, oh man, she was really fucking hungry.

Jess walked inside the mini kitchen and settled next to Barnes, raising her brows at him in greeting. "Smells good."

"Should taste better," Barnes said, flipping a pancake to cook its other side. There was a perfect, crispy ring around its edge. "You like orange juice?"

"Sure," Jess nodded. Barnes pointed at the fridge with his metal elbow. Jess walked over and spotted the half-filled bottle on the top shelf.

It was packed. Fruits and vegetables (a few Jess didn't even recognize) filled the bottom drawers with a rainbow assortment of juices, sodas, and power drinks lining the shelves. This couldn't have been their main fridge; that was downstairs.

At the clinking behind her, Jess turned to see Barnes plating up the food he had cooked. The serving plates sat on a dark wooden panel shining against the light of the kitchen.

Jess set the orange juice on the panel and took the pans from Barnes's hands. She left them at the sink, running some water to let them soak, as Barnes filled up a separate plate.

"For Clint," he said almost apologetically. Barnes pulled a jar from the pantry and sprinkled some chocolate chips on top of Clint's pancakes.

"That's nice," Jess nodded. "Mind if I get some, too?"

Barnes poured a few on top of their pancakes and clasped the jar closed before putting it away. With both hands, he lifted the panel from the counter and started for the door. Jess noticed a stack of plates holding a set of utensils and a pair of glass cups sitting on the corner of the counter. She grabbed them and hugged them to her chest before joining Barnes at the door.

"You good?" Barnes asked, nodding at her load.

"It's nothing," she replied almost rolling her eyes. He grunted briefly and led the way to the elevators with their breakfast perfectly balanced in hand.

They entered the elevator quietly and Jess had to squeeze in carefully to avoid knocking out their food from the slate. As the doors began to close, there was a short, but urgent beeping noise from above.

"It's alright, Asa," Barnes said to the air. Jess looked at him quizzically through the mirrored wall. His gaze went down to hers before flicking back up to the ceiling. "I grant her clearance."

"Clearance granted, Ms. Mendoza," a warm voice echoed in the tight space, making Jess jump in surprise. Good thing she was hugging the dishes close. "Glad to officially make your acquaintance."

"Um, okay," Jess said, staring blankly at the ceiling for a second. "Nice to meet you, too?"

Barnes huffed softly behind her and she turned her head to him as best she could.

"A.I.?"

"Yes."

"So, this must be the thing that does the thing you need without you having to do anything?"

"Inarticulate, but on point," Barnes nodded. He pointed his chin out as the doors started to open. "Mind the steps."

Jess turned, sunlight blinding her eyes as she carefully stepped out of the elevator. She covered her eyes with an arm, flinching at the glaring sun, and stepped to the side to let Barnes out as she adjusted to the brightness.

"What the fuck," Jess breathed, massaging her eyelids with her fingers.

"Shit, here," she heard Barnes mumble to her left. She felt the weight of the dishes lighten as Barnes slipped his flesh hand under them. How he was holding the dense wooden sheet with one hand and their dishes with the other without a single clink she had no idea.

With her other hand free, Jess covered her eyes completely, groaning at the soreness the light gave her.

"There's shade over there," Barnes said, probably pointing with his chin. Jess just nodded, ready to follow the sound of his footsteps. "You can—uh—hold on to my shirt."

"Oh, okay," Jess nodded again. The stinging was starting to subside, but her eyelids still felt too heavy to open all the way. She reached her hand out and grabbed at air before she felt the soft fabric of Barnes's shirt against his toned back. Her fingers picked at the fabric carefully, making sure not to stretch it too much. "Alright, I'm good."

Barnes moved slowly, guiding Jess to an area that grew colder and slightly darker. The different conditions gave Jess's eyes some relief and she finally opened them, slowly at first, before going painfully wide.

As much as it hurt, Jess kept her eyes open, taking in the sight before her. At this corner, the sun shined behind them, lighting up the jungle in a much softer light than she expected. The mist just barely reached the tops of the trees as it blanketed the jungle's floor from view. Jess could hear the early morning birds chirping their song even from the roof's high place above. It reminded her a little of her Mama's home, but the green and shy, but evident life wasn't as abundant as this.

Her gaze drifted to the mountains in the distance, the source of the mist. She could see something dark and shiny near the foot of the peak, the rear jutting out of the clouds.

Her eyes fixed on the monument, Jess pointed and asked, "Is that the statue?"

"Yeah," Barnes affirmed. Jess turned to him as he set the block on a wooden frame. She took their dishes from his hand and began to set them on their makeshift table. Barnes pulled out two chairs from behind a wall of small palms that blocked the glare of the sun. He set them where Jess placed each dish so that they could admire the view with a small turn of their head.

Jess studied their breakfast a little too much as Barnes scratched the back of his head quietly, staring at a chair. He took a small cough and pulled it out as he motioned for Jess to take a seat.

"Oh, thank you," Jess breathed. She plopped herself down on the angled lawn chair, her butt sitting awkwardly at its edge. Barnes sat on his own chair across from her, his bigger body filling up its space.

Once he settled, Jess helped herself to everything, not minding to grab ladlefuls as Barnes had made so much. As she poured Barnes a glass of orange juice, she couldn't help but notice how different he looked. Not in a bad way, far from it. He looked a bit tense, probably worried about the mission as she was. Except these were people he loved who loved him back.

He wore his hair down so it brushed his shoulders when he dipped his head to his plate. His crisp, white t-shirt hugged his torso nicely; it would've made anyone with a faint heart swoon at the sight. The jeans he wore hid the toned legs she had admittedly noticed the night before. To anyone with no knowledge of current events, he looked like that tough, but soft-hearted bad boy a TV mom would never approve of.

Jess chuckled at the thought. Bad boy, James Buchanan Barnes was not. Monotone, awkward, and shit-eatingly sarcastic, he was. But also sweet, polite, and patient, which is why Jess didn't mind at all he was the one to be left behind with her.

"It's a beautiful place, Wakanda," she began, trying to put her focus elsewhere. "People always thought it was a desert." She shrugged. To be fair, the country had isolated itself from the world, so who really knew what the country was like. The only word about Wakanda came from random, shady white dudes that probably shouldn't be trusted anyways.

"People tend to be wrong," Barnes shrugged. He was quieter, now. Jess felt a divide between them. There was a wall put up and she wasn't the one who built up the bricks.

"Well, you can't blame them when they're being lied to," Jess defended casually, popping a chocolate chip in her mouth. It melted the second it hit her tongue, coating it in sweet-choco goodness.

"I suppose not," he nodded, taking a gulp of his orange juice. Some of it dripped from the side of his mouth and he sighed, patting a napkin at it.

"Do you explore it often?" Jess asked, curious about what lay hidden in the jungle. There could be entire species of animals no one else knows about. There could be castles! There was a king after all.

"Not really."

Oh.

"Busy low-key saving the world?" Jess tried, prodding her pancakes with some urgency.

"We're not really allowed to," Barnes explained with a shrug. "Best not expose ourselves."

"That sucks," Jess breathed. At the raise of his brow, she shook her head. "You're already stuck here and you can't even explore here?" Her expression must have been amusing because Barnes chuckled lightly.

"It's not that bad," he assured before shoving a forkful of hash browns into his mouth.

Jess shook her head quickly. "No, sorry, I didn't mean it like that, it's just, a little freedom would be nice I think."

Jess swallowed at the bite of pancake she had been chewing. She picked at her syrup soaked pancake with her fork, cringing at how she may have insulted him.

As secluded as their place was here, Barnes's home in Wakanda must have been a dream compared to what he's had to face. She knew how terrible conditions at Hydra could be and she was only there for a year, not seventy. At least here he was safe. At least here he had friends.

Speaking of friends, Jess strained her ear against the sound of the jungle. A low humming noise came from her right and Jess spotted something emerging from the clouds. It reflected the light of the sun at first before small panels flipped to reveal a black jet heading straight for them.

"Clint," said Barnes, noticing the jet as it started up a downwind. As it neared them, the humming got louder, but not as much as Jess expected. From the windows of the cockpit, Clint waved once and the jet began a steeper descent.

"Oh, boy," Jess muttered. She waved once at the archer and attempted a smile. He probably didn't see, he's piloting a jet after all.

The jet hovered at an angle before surging forward, entering the building where Jess couldn't see. The breeze lifted and Jess heard a sharp whoosh. Probably their jet garage closing. Jess dreaded the idea of having to go downstairs and running into Clint. He seemed so pleasant when they first met, but he completely went sour last night. Maybe something was going on with him.

Nevertheless, she'd rather stay up here with the fresh air and the much more pleasant, but kinda confusing James Buchanan Barnes.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Already did."

Jess narrowed her eyes at the retort with a smirk. "When you got your autonomy back, was it like becoming Bucky Barnes again? Or was it the same?"

Barnes paused for a moment and Jess stopped her chewing, afraid she finally asked a question that went too far. She did that sometimes.

"I don't know. I haven't figured that part out, yet," Barnes said finally.

Jess's heart dropped a little at this and couldn't help but meet his eyes. "It's hard to if you're cooped up here. Not that this is a bad place to be stuck in, don't get me wrong, but you're definitely limited on life experiences."

"Did you change?"

Jess stopped chewing on her pancakes for a second before swallowing hard. Barnes asked the question carefully and Jess knew he had to muster up a bit of courage to.

"A little. Knowing what people really think about you, it makes you a little more self-aware. I try to turn it off," Jess answered, waving her hand like there was a switch at her head.

"Were people worse or better than you thought?" Barnes asked even more quietly. Maybe he was asking the question for himself.

"Both. But, to be honest, more of the worse than the better," Jess admitted. When she started to read people, she found their true thoughts. For some she was pleasantly surprised, but for others? Well, her Ma was completely right about a few so-called friends and family of hers. "I tried to not let it change anything, but it's hard, you know?"

"If only people were completely honest in the first place," Barnes nodded, offering her another scoop of eggs. Jess frowned, not at the eggs, they were delicious, but at what Barnes said. She hadn't been completely honest with him.

"Yeah, I guess," she breathed, putting on a weak smile. She never mentioned her mother. She never mentioned she once had a good life with her. She never mentioned her getting in touch with Rex.

Barnes dumped the scrambled eggs on her plate before getting his own helping.

"Listen," Jess started, dropping her fork and forgetting about her plate. "I haven't been completely open with you—any of you—"

Jess watched for Barnes's reaction, but he only flicked his eyes over to her briefly before returning to his food. Was that good? Or did he already suspect? Of course he must have, she was an idiot to think she could go over their heads. Wanda must have at least seen something about Ma and must have told the others.

"I think—I think I got in contact with Rex yesterday. When you found me on the floor."

Barnes looked up at her, his eyes wide, and Jess flinched a little. He swallowed and wiped his mouth, rising from his seat so quickly he knocked some of Jess's orange juice onto her plate. His eyes went wild from a moment before settling on Jess.

"We need to tell the others," he said simply. He motioned for her to get up and Jess followed him to the elevator. His shoulders tensed as he walked. Jess could see them rise and fall a little too high and a little too low.

The elevator arrived right as they reached the steps and Barnes let Jess inside first.

"I didn't mean to—do you think they're in danger?" Jess asked, a tight knot forming at her throat. Does this mean it was a trap? Did they let Rex hear false information knowing it'll find it's way to her?

"I don't know," Barnes said coldly. "But it's something." He avoided her eyes and kept his forward. Jess wanted to smack herself. Why had she kept this information from them? It might have sent Wanda, Sam, and the others to a death trap.

"Oh my god," Jess gasped, clutching at her stomach. "I fucked up." She felt the tears start to well up in her eyes and she had to keep from crying right then and there.

"Come on," Barnes said, ordering Jess to follow him. They arrived at the bedroom floor and Jess heard a noise at the end of the hall.

"Barton?" Barnes barked and Clint walked into their view, chowing down the breakfast Barnes prepared for him.

"'Sup?" Clint greeted before his expression turned flat at Jess. Clint's eyes shifted back to Barnes and he frowned. "What's wrong, boss?"

"We got some intel coming in," Barnes answered, pushing past him. She glanced at Clint apologetically, but continued to follow Barnes closely. "Asa, direct call to Steve."

A hologram popped up from nowhere in front of Barnes, following him into a living room. A large table sat in the center surrounded the three large couches. Barnes motioned for Jess to take a seat in the middle and the hologram settled right above the table. Barnes sat next to her and Jess felt Clint standing behind them.

"You'll have to explain," Barnes said, nodding at the blue light. He didn't seem very angry, but he wasn't too happy with her either.

Jess nodded quickly before shifting her gaze to the hologram at the sound of a beep.

"Bucky?!" Steve hollered. A perfect close up of his face squinted at Jess and the men. He was panting and dirtied up with a boxed beard rounding out his jaw. "Not the time!" he grunted before his face scrunched up. With a huff, it relaxed as they heard a crunching punch.

"Jess got in contact with that friend of hers last night," Barnes pressed, looking alarmed at the sight of Steve. His beard was a little unnerving.

Jess knew not to waste time. Steve was in the middle of a fire fight.

"Rex warned me yesterday that the Pirogovs knew where I am," Jess explained quickly, trying to sound apologetic in tone. "They said they were coming for me."

Steve continued to focus on something they couldn't see. With a few more determined grunts, he relaxed, but continued to go on the move. His image darkened slightly like he had found shade.

"Activate all the security protocols," Steve heaved, his eyes nearly rolling into his head from exhaustion. "They weren't here. The Pirogovs weren't here."

"Fuck," Barnes breathed. His eyes were wild, conflicted, but he nodded at Steve. "Get everyone back here, now."

"We'll try."

"For fuck's sake, Steve," Barnes hissed. Steve's eyes met Barnes and Jess felt another tug to her heart. What the fuck has she done?

"I'll see you soon, Bucky." With that, the call ended and Steve disappeared.

Jess felt Clint stir behind her. "I'll do it, boss," he said before giving Jess a dirty look and turning to leave.

"Thank you, Clint." Barnes stared straight ahead, mulling over something in his head silently. Jess could only look at her wringing hands, watching each tear drop fall pathetically to her fingers.

"They're coming here," Jess said quietly, dread rising slowly within her. "I fucked up. It was a trap. They're coming."

"It was a solid lead; there must have been something there waiting," Barnes reasoned out from their call with Steve. "But if they are coming, we have to be ready."

"Whatever you need me to do, I'll do it," Jess offered. "I'll leave, I can lead them away."

"And what? You'll die when they catch up to you," Barnes said, his gaze shifting to her.

"It'll get them away from you and the others," Jess reasoned. She wiped at her wet face and looked up at Barnes. "I did this to you all, I'll keep them away."

Barnes let out and empty chuckle as he rose from the couch. "As noble as that sounds, they're coming for me, too. I'd like to take 'em down once and for all."

Jess sighed and shook her head. "What do we do? How can we take them down, just the three of us?"

Clint hollered from outside the lounge. "Hey! I singlehandedly took down a squadron of killer robots with like three arrows!" He actually sounded hurt and pissed.

"We know Clint," Barnes called back, rolling his eyes. He turned back to Jess and nodded at the door. "There's a panic room at the lower levels. You can stay there for now."

Jess frowned up at Barnes and crossed her arms. "No, if they come, I'm helping you."

"Jessabell, you don't know how to fight, yet."

"And you don't know how to deal with a telepath and electrokinetic. No offense, but I think I'm inherently better equipped for this than you or Clint," she pointed out, quirking a brow at him. "By the way, now I know you went easy on me last night."

Jess frowned at him more and Barnes shrugged awkwardly.

"It was a morale boost," he tried, shrugging his shoulders through his tight t-shirt. Jess sighed and stood up from her seat before raising up a fist and playfully pushing it at his shoulder. The action felt awkward and she cringed a little at Barnes's confused reaction.

"Well, it must've worked because I'm going to have to help," Jess said as she pulled back her arm to her side. At Barnes's disapproving look, pursed lips and frown and all, Jess groaned. "Barnes, you know I'll just get pulled into the fight."

"I won't try to throw fists, just my powers," Jess promised, raising her pinkie up to Barnes. He stared at it before sighing and pushing it with his palm.

"Yeah, sure," he agreed. Jess breathed a sigh of relief, wiping away at the last of her tears. He made his way to the door and motioned for her to follow. "Better get suited up."

Jess's mouth dropped. A superhero suit? On her? At least there's one good thing coming out of this. Do they just have extra costumes lying around? She'd hate to have to borrow Wanda's things again.

"Yeah, your dream come true, let's go," Barnes hurried, pointing his metal thumb at the door. "Better get ready before Clint finds out."

"Right." Jess leapt over the couch and joined Barnes at the door. She followed him at his side, having to quicken her pace to keep up with his long strides. "Listen, I'm sorry for not telling anyone about it."

Barnes nodded, "Don't worry about it." Jess frowned. He needed to stop doing this.

"You can't just keep excusing every thing I've done," Jess muttered. It's unfair she was forgiven so easily. What she had done was wrong, she knew this, why was it so easily dismissed?

"You want me to be angry?" Barnes asked, turning his gaze to her. He slowed his gait down as they reached the elevator. As usual, Asa opened it and gave them just enough time to step in before the doors slid closed.

"No, well yes, but—" Jess shook her head. "The point is I fucked up."

"Yes, several times," Barnes nodded. "Welcome to the club."

Jess looked up at Barnes, surprised. She met his eyes and found them tired and soft.

"Point is, we're going to fix it," he said with a shrug. With a turn of his lips, Barnes shifted his gaze to the mirrored doors. Jess studied him for a moment as they neared the training room where they sparred the night before. She couldn't come up with something to say.

We. We're going to fix it. She hadn't had a whole lot of we's in a long time.

There was an unnecessarily loud ding and the doors opened, revealing the familiar room. Barnes turned to the left and pressed his palm against a wall. Another hidden room?

The wall pushed itself out and released a draft, revealing a smaller room as the panel slid away. Stalls stood in the middle of the suit room that offered privacy to change. It smelled of leather and metal.

"Whoa," Jess breathed. Sleek black suits lined the walls of the room, shining under a dim white light. Each was different, tailored to fit each rogue Avenger and fugitive, but maintained the same aesthetic. They were lined with something metallic and looked unused.

Jess jogged up to the far end and pulled a suit off its hook. It looked a little too big, but it was the closest size she could find for her frame. "Wanda won't mind, right?"

"No," Barnes answered, the corner of his mouth turning up again as he made his way over to her. "Clint might."

Jess eyed the fabric. It was a jumpsuit. She looked up at Barnes and couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, I wouldn't want to ruin his clubbing outfit," she quipped with a cringe.

"Nah, take it," Barnes said. "Never uses it." He turned away and pulled at a drawer under another jumpsuit. This one had a coat with a maroon lining at the hems. So, that's Wanda's.

Barnes pulled out a pair of heavy-duty boots and placed them on Jess's arms. As tough and rugged as they looked, they were light and she could barely feel the prick of the cleats.

"Anything else?" Jess questioned, eyeing the other suits to check for any more cool accessories. One suit had a pair of goggles hanging over it. They would've been useful up on the roof. "Like some high-tech googles?"

Barnes followed her eyesight and sighed. "Those are Sam's. The one thing I don't mess with."

"Oh, right," Jess nodded. She probably shouldn't mess with someone who's more or less on her side. Clint, on the other hand.

"You want gloves?" Barnes offered, slapping a pair against his flesh hand. "They're lined with vibranium, so they pack a punch."

"Vibranium?"

"Strongest—weirdest metal on Earth," Barnes explained. She's heard of it before, but never actually seen it in use. He tossed the gloves at her and Jess caught them with the boots she balanced on her arms.

"Thanks," Jess mumbled. She turned from Barnes and entered a stall, locking it behind her with a click. She hugged her new outfit close, afraid she'll drop what probably cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to make. Being a superhero looked pretty damn expensive.

"Who pays for all this?" Jess asked. The stall didn't have a whole lot of room, but there was a shelf above a wide mirror to hold her clothes. Getting out of her blouse and trousers was the easy part. Getting into this jumpsuit is going to be a whole other story.

"Uh, Wakanda," Barnes answered, his voice muffled by the door separating them.

"Ah, so the King? King T'Challa?" Jess guessed. She narrowed her eyes at the jumpsuit. The zipper was at the side, not on the back like she expected. Hopefully, Clint was a little curvier than he looked.

"Uh, no?"

"Barnes." She rolled her eyes at the mirror as she tugged on the zipper. "Who am I going to tell?"

"Read my mind then."

"I won't do that to you, people have messed with you enough," Jess replied, her voice strained. Sucking in a breath, Jess pulled the zipper hard over her hip. "Not that I'd mess with your head," she choked out, "but I'm guessing any telepathy would suck."

"What about the dream?" asked Barnes, sounding concerned. A few more tugs and the zipper complied, closing the suit over her skin smoothly.

"That was needed and totally called for," Jess replied, sounding a little disbelieving at herself. The jumpsuit fit just fine by the hems, but they were some patches where the fabric was a little too loose. Whatever, it'll ventilate the inevitable sweat. "I mean totally could've gone better, but I had a lot of distractions at the time."

The boots slipped on easily and Jess double knotted the pair before slipping the gloves over her dry hands. She gathered up her other clothes and wrapped them into a ball, flinching as she realized the possible wrinkles later on. Sorry, Wanda. Duty calls.

"Okay, let's go," Jess said, pushing the door open. She whipped her head around and saw Barnes back by the wall-door-thing. Jess noticed he was fighting back a smirk. Okay, she couldn't look _that_ ridiculous. "It's a little loose."

"Here," he chuckled. Barnes motioned for her to turn around. "Do you—uh—mind?" He nodded at the back of her neck and Jess reached around to push her hair out of the way. She felt a gentle push and the suit let out a breath before the fabric tightened around her body. Jess smoothed her hand over her stomach. Not a single wrinkle. It fit perfectly.

"Damn, where was this during prom night?" Jess muttered to herself.

"Better?" Barnes asked. Jess let her hair go and turned to him with a nod.

"I guess I'm not getting a gun, then?" she joked, motioning at the weapons displayed to her right. The mats had been put away, leaving the space open except for the boxing stand she had used as a shield the night before. "It might just freak Clint out even more."

"Yeah, well, he'll deserve it," mumbled Barnes as he went down the steps towards the training room. Jess followed, but stopped at the edge, and watched Barnes pick out his weapons. He headed for a set of knives first, packing them into a duffel bag. Then, he stuffed a pair of Glocks into his pockets, a furrowed brow giving away his apprehension.

The sight made Jess frown. Here was a man, clad in just a t-shirt and hipster-worn jeans, getting ready to possibly battle it out with some overpowered Neo-Nazis. Sickos who were a part of an institution that used him, mutilated him, abused him, took away his sense of self to do their bidding. And she forced him to face them again even though he was safe here, finally away from the evil that took his life away.

"Hey," Barnes called. "You're doing it again." He threw a few boxes of ammo into his bag and zipped it closed. His soft eyes took hers and he walked up to her, shaking his head.

"Doing what?" Jess asked, crossing her arms at him. She straightened herself up as he came to a stop and she raised her brow.

Barnes let out a breathy laugh and crossed his own arms. They were fucking huge.

"Guilt," he said simply. "Yeah, we're in this because of you. But we're in this because of me, too. We all chose to get involved. Mulling on who to put the blame on does nothing."

Jess pressed her lips into a thin line, saying nothing, but looking disbelieving.

"We'll fix it, Jessabell."

"I know," Jess nodded. "I just can't shake it off so easily, you know?"

"I know," he said gently, the corner of his mouth pulling up. "Come on, I gotta lock this place up." Jess pushed herself off the wall and this time Barnes followed. Before stepping into the elevator, he tapped at an arbitrary place at the wall and pressed his flesh hand against it. Everything began to secure itself at once. Layers of metal grates, laser bars, and a glowing blue screen locked the weapons, vehicles, and the rooms themselves before a solid black wall descended upon each side, hiding everything from view.

"Update, Asa," ordered Barnes to the AI.

"All systems secured, Mr. Barnes," Asa responded. "C-squad dispatched on patrol."

Did they have bodyguards? It wouldn't be too surprising, Wakanda must have kept a close eye on the fugitives so long as they hid in their country.

"Okoye was informed?"

"Okoye dispatched C-squad. I'd like to add she is not too pleased with this news," Asa imparted, actually sounding nervous. "Though, and I quote, 'Not surprised. It was bound to happen.'"

"Fantastic," Barnes murmured. When Jess looked at him questioningly, he shook his head. "She never liked us very much."

"Dead-weights, I believe was the term she used, sir."

"Yeah, thanks, Asa," Barnes grumbled. The elevator took them back to the bedroom floor. There were a lot of back and forths today.

They stepped out quickly, the doors sliding shut behind them faster than usual.

"So, what now?" Jess asked, walking in stride with him.

"Now, we wait," Barnes answered. "You like Mario Kart?"

* * *

Bucky usually went for a run to relax, but rounding the bunker in open air right now wasn't a good idea. A mind busy and ridden with guilt and anxiety wasn't good before a fight, so he had to find a way to calm her down. Even with their bickering and murder threats, Clint and Scott always seemed to be in high spirits after a few hours of Mario Kart.

Bucky led Jessabell back to the lounge where they kept the game console Scott smuggled into the country. Primitive tech, or really just any tech outside of Wakanda, didn't fare well with customs.

Jessabell waited quietly on the couch as Bucky set up the game, a glint of excitement in her eyes.

"I haven't played in so long," she said with a smile.

"Good, now I've got a chance," Bucky quipped, pushing himself off the floor. He had changed hurriedly into his combat clothes before they headed to the lounge. His weapons were tucked into every open pocket he had. Adjusting one of the knives digging into his thigh, Bucky settled on the couch next to Jessabell.

Jessabell took her remote from his metal hand and connected to the console. Now, he had to be player two. Player two, as Scott knew and maintained, had a terrible track record.

Jessabell knew instantly which character and vehicle to go for. Toad sat in his blue Bullet Bike, jumping up and down in his seat impatiently as Bucky frowned at Bowser's vehicle collection.

"Bowser sucks, no offense," Jessabell piped up. At his furrowed brow and frown, she shrugged and looked pointedly at the screen. "He does! He's heavy, he's a bully, you might as well quit now."

"Clint always suggests I play him," Bucky mumbled.

"Well, no offense," Jessabell said, her voice low. "Clint kinda seems like a dick." She held out her hand and Bucky dropped his remote onto it. He watched, his eyes going from her serious expression to the screen as she went through all the available characters.

"King Boo, Dry-Bones, and Yoshi are your best bets, I think," Jessabell advised. "At the end of the day it comes down to who you're comfortable with really." She knew her Mario Kart.

Bucky studied the characters she mentioned. "Yoshi it is," he nodded as the tiny green dinosaur punched the air. Bucky picked an arbitrary vehicle and set the game for three rounds, enough to keep their heads busy for a while. "Ready?"

"Hell yeah," Jessabell buzzed. She folded her legs under her, hunching over her remote with determination.

Bucky had already revved his engine up by the time the buzzer went off, holding him back as Jessabell and the other cars zipped away. Grunting, his Yoshi finally went off and Bucky struggled to steer the dinosaur as he wanted. He kept slamming into a wall at the sharp turns, sending the Mii audience jumping off their feet.

"Get your finger off the gas when you're turning," Jessabell advised, her eyes peeled on her side of the screen. "It's much smoother that way."

At the next turn, Bucky let off the gas button and leaned to the right. Sure enough, Yoshi swerved smoothly, passing Bowser and Wario with a gleeful howl.

"Yeah!" Jessabell yelped, beaming at him for a second before returning her eyes quickly to the screen. Yelps, squeaks, and grunts peppered the air as their first round came to a close. Jessabell's Toad danced to the finish line with a whoop, finishing fourth as his Yoshi trailed a few paces behind.

"You guys suck."

Jessabell leapt off the couch, her remote ready to be thrown, as Clint climbed off the shelf behind them. He cricked his neck to side as he stretched and asked, "Is that my suit?"

"Yes?" Jessabell lowered her arm, but still gripped the remote tightly. "It looked the most comfortable."

"Because it's mine," Clint said through gritted teeth.

Jessabell gave Clint a once over in his own suit. It was the first prototype from Shuri and Clint cherished it, refusing to use any other new suit that T'Challa's team sent.

"Well, I can change into someone else's suit," Jessabell nodded. She crossed her arms and pressed her lips into a thin, forced smile as she tilted her head to angle with Clint's. "But I never believed in giving in to childish demands."

"Bucky!"

"Clinton?" Bucky teased, throwing his metal arm over the couch to turn and get a better look at him. At the archer's sharp breath and murder stare, Bucky sighed. "Dude, it's just a suit. You didn't even like it."

"That's not the point!"

"It is." Bucky clenched his fist and bumped it against the frame of the couch. "Get over it, man."

Clint eyed Jessabell and turned to leave the room in a huff. He dragged his bow behind him, the metal end scraping against the wooden floor.

Bucky glanced back at Jessabell who just frowned at Clint's back, looking more upset than angry. She tapped the remote against a gloved hand and returned to her seat next to Bucky.

"Don't take it personally," Bucky assured, staring at the floor. A dark spot tried to hide under the corner of the coffee table. Under the sole of his booted foot, the carpet there felt stiff and sticky. He'll clean it up later.

"Seems kinda personal," Jessabell muttered. She flipped the control from one hand to the other, tossing it absentmindedly. "I doubt he's always that unpleasant."

"Yeah, but, I don't know," Bucky searched for the words. There was a lot on Clint's mind. The hunt for his best friend sent her further on the down low, limiting communications between Natasha and the team to priority intel dumps. After Berlin, Clint's status forced his family into exile. The locations were so sensitive he only ever stayed the night, leaving the next morning for the next mission one country over. It had been a while since he's seen them. Not that it excused his behavior. Scott, in all his ridiculousness, was only ever friendly and welcoming to Jessabell. Even Sam let his doubts about her go, if not after some intensive convincing from Wanda.

"It's fine, Barnes. I won't be staying long, anyways."

"I suppose," Bucky nodded. Their game beeped, asking if they were ready to start the next round. Jessabell hadn't noticed. Or she ignored it. "So, you chose a place to stay, yet?"

"Home," Jessabell said simply. "I—um." She paused, her brows knitting together, considering something for a moment. Bucky pressed the off button on his control, turning off the console and TV quietly.

"I want to go back as me," she explained. "Not as anyone else. Otherwise, I feel like the Pirogovs won."

Bucky nodded, thumbing the velvet of the couch. He never got to do that, but at least she has the chance to. Not that it mattered. There was only one person in the world who had a clue who Bucky Barnes was. Now that punk was out there with his friends fighting a fight that wasn't theirs.

"Do you—" Jessabell stopped herself. Bucky met her cautious eyes and he nodded once, urging her to continue. Seems like she liked talking things out more than getting distracted.

"Do you have plans once you and Steve and the others get out of here?"

Bucky chuckled at the question. That idea never even occurred to him. What life could he live outside of Wakanda? Certainly, he can't be free. That was out of the question. The U.N. might just bring him in eventually. Maybe get a trial, if he's lucky. In any case, he'll end up in prison for life. There was no way a pardon could be put on the table. Not after what the Winter Soldier had done.

"Barnes?"

Bucky whipped his head up to Jessabell. Her call, meek and cracked, sent a chill through Bucky's body. She just sat there, palm over her temple, as she stared off into nothing. Her bottom lip twitched. Her breaths became quick and sharp.

"They're here."


	8. Are We There Yet?

_**A/N:** _ Hey y'all, so I'm going to start this new thing where I post mini-chapters from the point of view of supporting characters. Uni has been kicking my butt so far and I'm only getting busier, but I rEFUSE to give up on this! I love the individuals in Team Cap and I'm having so much fun playing with their dynamic while they're on the run (high key it's been keeping me going for Infinity War) Here I'll also be able to respond to reviews that I hate to say I've neglected from the start of this story. These mini-chapters will also hopefully keep this story going even when I'm not able to update with actual chapters. Enjoy!

 _ **Lara Barnes, Hannah, Ele, SeeGrasKopf, and inperfection:**_ I really hope y'all will see this! Your reviews are from over a year ago, but they've kept me going ever since. I'm with you on being excited for seeing a next chapter, even ya girl doesn't really know when she can pop out another one.

 _ **:**_ I really wanted to make a more positive character within the real darkness in this universe, especially with Bucky around I've got some things still in store about Rex!

 _ **Pint-sized She-Bear:**_ Oh man, me too. I can't believe I still care about this story after a year of writing it on and off, don't you worry, I won't give up on it!

 _ **Donny Donowitz:**_ Ahhh thank you! I really wanted to write something about Bucky post-Civil War since there aren't many fics about that out there. Once I came up with the idea of Jess and tried to flesh her out, it just got me more excited and I knew I needed to write it.

 _ **jannmarill:**_ Omg, I'm so relieved about your response to Bucky's personality. His was the trickiest to figure out because, let's face it, the boy's got pretty limited screen time. I figured with his experiences and now with his exposure to Sam, being awkward and sarcastic would be inevitable. I really hope the MCU Bucky we know and love turns out about the same.

* * *

She is done with Clint. That comment about her brother was the last straw. She doesn't care what mood he's in at the moment. At least he had a family to come back to!

Wanda sat in her usual spot on the jet, fuming as Clint pretended to sleep behind her. She felt his aura, he was very much awake, thinking about how dangerous her friendship was with Jessabell. Wanda knows Jess isn't giving them the complete truth, but she meant them no harm. If he could only see this! But she doesn't care, he isn't her father, he's a goddamn man-child.

"—And if we get it right, the water should short circuit him, either killing him or stalling his powers, we'll see," Scott explained to Sam and Steve, who sat in front of her piloting the jet. They were running through Scott's plan of how to defeat the electrokinetic inhuman. The one who caused Jess so much pain.

"It's alright, Scott, we trust you on this," Steve reassured him with a nod over his shoulder.

"I know, but first real mission, you know, I'm jittery," he laughed nervously. Wanda turned in her chair to give him her own reassuring smile. Scott was like a little puppy. Like a chihuahua.

Unlike the giant moping cat she's had to deal the past few days. If he tried actually talking to her without being a jerk, he can see her without suspicion. But Clint was stubborn, more stubborn than his own children.

"Are we there yet, Sam?" Wanda asked, more for the others than herself. She knew at this point they were impatient.

"We're about an hour out, halfway there," he answered. "Sorry, guys, but we've still got to fly on the down low."

"Okay, but how important is this mission really? The girl said it herself, she willingly let herself be in this mess!"

"Clint that is not the point!" Wanda clenched her fists in front of her, the red smoke escaping through her fingers without command. The jet shook and Scott yelped as Sam stabilized it through the turbulence.

Steve's firm voice echoed through the cockpit. "Clint, get on Jay Jay, you're done," he commanded. His fingers went to the switches above him, giving permission for the baby jet to separate from the main.

"What? But—Steve! We've made it this far," Clint tried to reason behind her. She crossed her arms, the smoke retreating into her fists as she calmed down. "Steve, come on."

"No, that's it, your head's not on the mission," he said.

"Sam—"

"You heard him."

"Fuck this, alright, fine," Clint mumbled under his breath. He unlocked his belt, tossing it back loudly as he rose from his seat. She heard him grab his weapons from the back, muttering some more, before the door to the main hall opened.

Wanda felt Scott's nervous aura increase. He wanted to try and defend Clint, to convince them to let him stay, but he knew it was for the best. Clint was the source of the hostility and they needed Wanda on this mission.

"Well, good luck, don't die," Clint muttered before the door slid closed, leaving them behind.

Wanda rolled her eyes at the surveillance cam Sam pulled up on their screen. Clint dragged his bow behind him, he must be really upset, as he walked down the hall towards the garage where Jay Jay was kept. She did feel a pang of sympathy, these missions distracted him from the pain of the fugitive life after all. But he was being a real jerk.

She shrugged at Scott after glancing at him and his disappointed expression. Hostility between the team on any level was not good. There was a whole airport in Berlin that could testify to that.

He just needed time to cool off. Maybe another vacation to his family will put him in a better mood. She was thinking of a little vacation of her own. The fugitive life put a strain on all of them, especially being away from their family. It was easier for her, Steve, and Bucky in a way.

But Steve and Bucky had each other, and they still had some communication with Natasha.

Wanda had no one outside of her little make shift family. After the split with Tony, well, her family got even smaller. It felt that way, especially with her best friend on the opposing side. Steve was right in what he believed, but the cost of it? It was sometimes too difficult to bear.

She can sense the regret in the others, too. If this amnesty deal carries through, she can pull her family back together, she knows it.

The jet rocked again as Jay Jay separated from the main jet. Clint's face popped up on the screen and he nodded once, glowering, before he turned Jay Jay and set him off in the opposite direction. His feed disappeared soon after, and they continued on to their destination without another word.

* * *

Holy shit, it was happening. A real life Avengers mission. Cassie would shit her pants if she knew.

Scott did his best to keep his mouth shut during the trip to Chukotka, mostly because of the tension with Clint.

Jess seemed cool and she seemed afraid of everyone, so Clint was really overreacting. The second Jay Jay detached from the main jet, they all went quiet. Scott didn't know if this was a normal thing and he wishes he could move up a seat, so he can at least whisper to Wanda, but that would be weird.

Once the thought finished crossing his mind, Wanda turned and waved him over, pointing to the seat next to her. Scott smiled sheepishly as he unbuckled his belt. Right, she probably saw that coming.

 _They won't mind if we talk,_ Wanda's voice echoed in his head. _It distracts them from their own nerves, too._

Shit, he was still really rusty at this. Just think at her, Scott, you got this.

 _So, uh, what kinds of things should I expect here?_ He focused on her as much as he could, narrowing his eyes at the space between her brows.

Wanda chuckled out loud. _Scott, I'm the mind reader—you don't need to do anything, just think it._ She imitated his strained expression before she relaxed it into a half smile.

 _Right, right._ Scott shook his head, feeling a little ridiculous. He thought to himself for a second, glancing at the back of Steve's head before turning back to Wanda. _Should I be worried?_

 _About what?_ Her eyes darted to Steve and Sam briefly and she sighed, probably already having sensed the brewing unease in him for a while now.

Scott shifted in his seat and adjusted the straps, pulling them over his shoulders to sit more comfortably. _You know what._

 _He's going through a lot. He doesn't like to show it._ Wanda looked at Steve sadly, a frown forming on her lips. _Unfortunately, he's the one who's had to shoulder all our mistakes._

 _We've all had to pay,_ Scott thought, bitterly, or as bitter as he could get.

 _Yes, but he hasn't truly been able to run from it._

Scott breathed, turning to frown at Steve too. The first time he met Steve, the legend had held himself in such a confident, determined manner. Chin up, torso straight, showing off the badass abs and biceps Scott had expected from the superhero.

After spending time with him in Wakanda, he became completely different. You can literally see the weight of his actions on his shoulders. The man tried his best to hide it all, the regret and the anxiety, but Scott could see right through him.

* * *

Sam could see the two psychically conversing behind him through the glare of the window. They kept glancing at Steve who sat next to him, piloting the jet in silence. Something was off about him today, but it wasn't enough to postpone the mission.

Their time was running out on Jess. Someone was bound to find out about her soon, especially with Asa and his software's convenient tendency to snitch. They needed to get this done, so the girl can finally go home.

He didn't mind her at all now. Wanda immediately fell in love with her. They reminded Sam of those weird college roommates who instantly click, forming a relationship that was almost cult-like. Except a cult of just two people. Which is just damn creepy.

She amused Steve. Eventually, they both convinced him to give her a chance. So far, she didn't seem so bad. Once the Pirogov shit goes down, he'll be able to see who she really is and whether or not they could really trust her. Hell, they could use another enhanced on the team.

She seemed to do some good for the team, too. Like an unstable chinchilla to take care of and fight an army of deadly inhumans for. In one way or another, they found some liking and respect for her. Least of all Clint, but most of all—aside from Wanda—fucking _Bucky._

He was not at all being nosy when he checked the Bunker's security feeds when Bucky wasn't up in his room after dinner. Usually pretty boy lingered a bit with the team, trying to engage in small talk, but would give up and hide in his room or up on the roof. This time the boy was in the training room, which wouldn't have been too out of place if it wasn't for who was with him.

Was that how Bucky flirted? Scaring the shit out of a girl? Bucky's going to need more than just his help if he doesn't want to fuck this up. Sam really did have to do everything around here.

"Heads up, guys," Steve called next to him. "We're entering a surveillance field. Wanda—?"

"Already on it," Wanda said and Sam could see the light of her mist reflect off the panels.


	9. Chapter 8

_**A/N:**_ Hey, y'all! I was going to post this next week, but I feel terrible that I haven't properly updated since December, so here you go!

Thank you to _KrystalDiaz19_ , _Rabidleper_ , _evemarie07_ , and _chyanne200_ for your follows! Also, thank you to _K'S Room of Requirement_ for your fave/follow and _ILuvCupcakes2000_ and _.i11_ for your faves!

 _ **Lara Barnes:**_ I'm so glad you're still reading! Sending good vibes your way and good luck on your midterms!

* * *

Jess felt the familiar jolt up her spine, her body's way of warning her of the Pirogovs' arrival. The second they were anywhere in the vicinity, Jess's mind made sure to let her know of their presence. They felt heated, ready for revenge, but the fire felt far. She still had time.

"Mr. Barnes, I scanned the perimeter and notified Mr. Barton and C-squad. They will maintain a distance from the bunker as per the policy and Mr. Barton shall remain on watch on the roof," Asa informed from above. Jess kept her gaze fixed on the empty wall even though she felt Barnes's eyes on her. She needed to focus.

"Any hits?" Barnes asked the AI.

"None, sir, but I shall maintain the scan," Asa said. "All processes to security protocols. Communications as needed."

"Good. Tell me if anything changes."

"Of course, Mr. Barnes."

Jess tried to push her reach out, but pinpointing an exact location would be difficult. As far as she knew, the bunker stood in the deep jungles of Wakanda. Even if she knew where exactly in Wakanda that was, she could only get a relative distance to where the Pirogovs might have entered the country. There weren't exactly any major landmarks or street names to watch out for in their minds.

Besides that, they were on guard. The faceless Pirogov had a finer honing of his abilities. He must have some of his own mental security protocols running.

"Barnes, I can feel they're here, but I can't see them," Jess confessed. "They're far, but I can't see where they are." She closed her eyes. Shutting down one sense heightened the others, right? They were there on the edge of her consciousness. The faceless Pirogov must know that she can feel them. As a longtime telepath, he must know how to control his essence; to hide when he wanted to hide, to be seen when he wanted to be seen.

Was this some sick power play? Announcing his presence to her? Putting on a show of confidence saying, "Here I am! There's no point in hiding now because I'll get you anyway."

No, the faceless Pirogov was never much of sadist. That was more of his brother's schtick.

"Barnes, I can't," Jess said, opening her eyes at the sudden knot in her stomach.

"Take it easy, rest your head, we're going to need it," Barnes said, his voice low and cracked. "I'm going down to the control room. Do you want to come or stay here?"

"I don't want to be alone," Jess confessed already getting up from the couch. Walking around could help her focus. It would busy the part of her that could go paranoid, but keep a part of her free to be on the lookout.

Barnes nodded, waiting for her to join him at the door. He stepped to the side and let her into the hall first. Jess, familiar with the better part of the floor layout now, headed to the elevator.

"Actually, that elevator doesn't have access," Barnes said. He nodded towards the bedrooms. "We have individual access points."

"Fancy," Jess commented, raising her brow. It made sense. If something were to happen, they've got a quick way to group together in a secured area.

Barnes led her to a hall Jess hadn't been in before. There were two doors, one on each side. A sign hung on the door to the left, nailed neatly in the center. Upon closer inspection, Jess saw "Buckaroo" etched under the big red letters spelling out "KEEP OUT".

Barnes noticed Jess reading the sign and cringed. "He thinks he's funny," was all he said before turning to the door on the right and twisting the handle.

Barnes pushed open the door and the smell of vanilla and mint found its way to her. She found it warm and pleasant, but the refreshing air of the mint soon took over. She hadn't smelled anything so inviting in so long.

"This is your room?" Jess asked, glancing at Barnes briefly before entering. There was so much space, the furnishings having been limited to a bed, a nightstand, and a closet. Everything was quite plain, or really just minimalist, and incredibly neat.

"Yeah," Barnes answered, looking a bit nervous. He closed the door behind him, but stayed there, watching Jess as she studied the room.

"It's very… clean," Jess said, nodding at everything thoughtfully. Well, after spending some time with him, she knows that Barnes is pretty much a normal dude with an unfortunate checkered past. Why was she surprised to find such an equally normal bedroom? What was she expecting? From her surprise at the normalcy, she'd think she expected to find some weird torture chamber.

To be honest, if you had asked her that before meeting him she'd expect exactly that.

But what with all the hidden rooms in this place…

"Yeah," Barnes repeated, pulling up a shoulder to shrug. Jess stopped her prying eyes on Barnes, sensing his discomfort.

"Sorry, I don't want to make you uncomfortable. To the control room?" she asked, keeping her eyes on him to prevent them from shifting anywhere else. Of course, this is his own personal safe place. She was intruding.

Barnes nodded and walked up to an empty wall beside some curtains. He pressed his hand up against it and the wall revealed a crack in the center before pushing open. Sure enough, a service elevator waited on the other side. Barnes let Jess step inside and this time there was only one button to press. This elevator wasn't as fancy as the other one. The light was dim at best and the walls were straight up grated metal. Jess watched, slightly worried, as the elevator scraped noisily against the wall in front of them.

The ride was a bit rocky and slower than usual as they descended.

"Not fancy," Jess quipped to fill in the silence.

"Budget cuts against the fugitives," Barnes returned right as the elevator stopped. The doors slid open this time and Jess peered out into the darkness before taking a cautious step. Barnes patted at the wall as the doors started to close, threatening to leave them in complete darkness. He flicked up the switches Jess glimpsed before the doors shut and left them in the pitch black.

"Um, Barnes?"

"Give it a second."

Jess felt a squeal rise up in her throat as the little hairs in her skin stiffened in fear. God damn it, she's been through worse. Nothing is going to pop up out of nowhere. Except maybe a rat. Or a hungry, clawing demon from the depths of hell.

But nah, that only happened outside a church.

Jess squeezed her eyes shut. At least she could control this kind of darkness. She heard Barnes's footsteps as he walked up behind her, feeling some of his warmth radiating off his body against the empty cold. Then there was a buzzing sound above her. Hopefully, it was the lights kicking in and not the hungry, clawing demon from the depths of hell.

Jess saw the lights begin to glow against the blanket of her eyelids, so she opened them. The buzzing continued as the light grew to its full brightness, illuminating the control room.

It was… old. Like straight up out of a Cold War movie old. No wonder it took so long for the lights to boot up.

Barnes walked over to a big, old machine in the back of the room and pulled a lever. It heaved deeply, probably running for the first time in fifty years, before whirring loudly. The computers, bulky and dusty, hummed alive, beeping as their screens turned on. Lines of code scrolled past before the screens blinked and opened up security cam footage and radars of all sorts.

"I can't believe you're technically older than all this, Barnes," Jess joked, quirking a brow at him as he dusted off his hands. She wiped at an unswept armchair and took a seat, ignoring the rest of the dust that decided to cling to her back.

"Actually, all this is older than me," Barnes shrugged, "Wakanda's always been way ahead of the world." He joined her, watching the security footage intently as he leaned against the console. "You picking up anything?"

Jess shifted in her seat. "Hold on." She turned away from him, feeling a little self conscious, and closed her eyes. She let her mind settle, the buzz of the random voices threatening to spill over. She tried to sort through them, searching for the harsh, clipped voices she suffered against. They were closer, wary now. The faceless one navigated like he knew he was being watched.

"They're out there. I think they know about your C-squad," she told Barnes. Something pricked at the back of her head. Jess swallowed hard, pushing back gently as to not alarm it. It was him. He was looking for her, too. "Barnes, he's trying to get in my head."

Her voice came out more panicked than she would have liked. She felt Barnes shift next to her. His breaths touched her arm as he knelt beside her, but she didn't dare risk losing focus just to look.

"I'm keeping him out," Jess said. "I got it."

"Let me know if you—uh—need anything."

Jess hummed lightly, nodding. She couldn't do anything too noisy if the faceless Pirogov was out there searching for her head. How was she going to keep him out and get herself in his head discreetly at the same time? It was too dangerous. If he gets in, he'll find out their location and come running. Hell, he might have that asshole teleporter with him. That would be a lot worse.

"Barnes," Jess started, biting her lip. She knew her telepathy was an invaluable resource right now to Barnes, but it was too risky. One slip up on her end and the Pirogovs will find them. "I have to stop. They'll find us if I don't."

Jess's face squinted at his silence as he mulled over what she said. It would be better if Jess stayed low key and kept Pirogov in the shadows. Even if they do get close, the C-squad was there to protect them. She didn't know a whole lot about Wakanda, but they must have a formidable defense army if they stayed so safe and isolated for so long.

"That's fine," Barnes finally said. There was a hint of disappointment in his tone, but at least he didn't sound angry or annoyed.

Jess took a deep breath and slowly pulled in her reach, the pressure at the back of her head alleviating in the process. Carefully, she found her balance, her mind and body melding into one again, and pushed the voices to the edge of her consciousness.

"Thanks," Jess sighed, opening her eyes.

"It's—uh—your head. You do whatever you want with it," Barnes nodded. He stood up from his crouch and returned his attention to the console.

"Is there any other way I can help?"

He shrugged. "You can keep watch with me."

Jess nodded. It was better than nothing. And way better than risking Pirogov getting inside her head. She spun the chair to face the computer screens, her eyes flicking from one to another when one got too boring.

Jess leaned against the console and propped her head up on her arms. She kept her eyes on a screen that gave a view of the mountains she had seen earlier. Probably a feed in case of an aerial attack.

The sun shone brightly now and the mist disappeared, giving her a clearer view of the jungle around them. The mist had hidden the true density of the tree canopy so now Jess could see the true abundance of the jungle. There wasn't a single open patch except for the towering black panther monument near the falls's edge.

Is this what superheroing was mostly made up of? Keeping watch of the bad guys for hours on end? Waiting for them to make the first move before taking them down?

"Barnes?"

"Hm?"

"I'm bored."

Well, better bored than under attack. But still there were no signs of movement, save for the trees waving with the breeze and an occasional creature jumping from branch to branch.

He sighed beside her and Jess turned her head to see him cross his arms. "Yeah, this is how it usually goes."

"Superheroing seems a bit dull for the most part then."

"This is surveillance. The 'hero' part usually comes later usually in god-awful tights," he said.

Jess nodded at his outfit. "Then, how come you aren't wearing any?" she asked jokingly.

Barnes took his eyes off the screens and settled on hers. Under the light and his sudden hard expression, his eyes turned an icy blue. Jess breathed hard to keep back a nervous swallow. It was kinda unnerving how his expressions could change so quick.

"Because I'm not one."

Jess raised a brow at him as she lifted her head from her arms. She tried to soften her expression, but a confused frown slipped out as she took in his words.

"Don't say that." Her tone was a little harsher than she expected. Who the hell was she angry at? Not at Barnes, not at herself. Clint, maybe, but not for this. Still, she felt a little pang of annoyance somewhere inside of her that sharpened her voice.

Barnes just shrugged before returning his gaze to the security feeds.

"I'm serious, James Barnes." She flinched a little at the name slip. Sue her, she's a little stressed. "Barnes. Bucky Barnes. Fuck, whatever," Jess muttered, burying her face into her arms.

"Just Bucky," he said.

"I figured you only let people you like call you that."

"Yeah."

Jess peeked an eye out above her arm and found Barnes staring at her. His expression was still tight, but his eyes had softened.

"Alright, _Bucky_ , don't go all soft on me now." The name felt strange on her tongue, but she could get used to it. Bucky. Bucky Barnes with his long, shaggy hair and boyishly handsome looks when he doesn't look like he's about to murder someone. It seemed to fit him better anyways.

"Don't get used to it."

Jess was sure he meant that as a joke with the way his lips curled ever so slightly. But she frowned. It was another reminder she'll have to leave this place and she'll have to leave sooner than she had expected. Sure, she'll be able to go home and see her Ma, but it won't be the same. The explanation and repercussions of her year-long absence alone was going to be a nightmare.

Suddenly, the prospect of having to leave this place, even with its almost suffocating confines and surprisingly unpleasant archer, didn't seem so easy.

"Mr. Barnes, connecting you to C-squad." Asa spoke quickly before there was a beep that made Jess jump in her chair. Something unsettling churned inside her. This is it. They found her.

Jess turned to Barnes—Bucky—and his gaze shifted to her. They looked at each other, expressions mirrored in alarm as they waited for the line to connect.

"C-squad, calling in," a woman's voice greeted. "Bunker Five control, we have eyes on the intruders. Six in sight."

"Six?!" Jess gasped quietly, her jaw dropping in shock. Bucky's eyes darted to Jess and his finger tapped at his lips, telling her to stay quiet. She's pretty sure she counted two minds out there, not _six._ Was Pirogov cloaking them somehow?

"Including the Pirogovs?" Bucky asked with an edge to his voice.

"Affirmative."

"Be careful, those guys don't need eyes to sense you," Jess said to the woman. Beside her, Bucky tensed, his clutch on the edge of the table tightening. There was a pause on the other side of the line, making Jess turn to him curiously.

"Mr. Barnes, I believe you and your team have broken an agreement."

"Yeah, listen—"

"No matter. We will address it once _this_ problem is resolved. Aneka, out."

Bucky shook his head, rubbing the skin between his brows with a sigh. He pressed a button to his left to end the call.

"What was she talking about?" Jess asked. The question was a bit rhetorical. It was obviously about her. Given the hint of surprise in the woman's voice, she didn't expect Jess to be there.

"We're not allowed to house victims or criminal without permission," Bucky explained. He crossed his metal arm with his flesh one as he leaned against the controls to face her.

"Okay," Jess nodded. "Why didn't you get permission?"

Jess pressed her lips tightly together and narrowed her eyes at him. Bucky didn't answer immediately, opting to stare at her again, probably trying to decide whether or not to tell her the truth or how much of the truth to tell her.

"We were already pushing our luck with them," Bucky shrugged. "And—and I wasn't sure whether to classify you as a criminal or a victim."

Oh. Jess already knew that line was blurry from the start, but to hear it so explicitly made her feel a bit sick.

"It—it would have been difficult to explain—"

"No, you're right, I get it." Jess waved off the attempt to soften the blow. Even if they thought that way, at least they let her stay. It was just semantics, right? They knew her story was a bit of a desperate mess that would have been difficult to convince anyone else, including themselves, of. Yet, they still jumped over a few, probably huge legalities to let her stay. Probably, mostly because of Wanda.

Did she use the word semantics right? She wasn't even sure what it meant. Whatever, the point was, they rescued her and gave her time to heal despite the shadiness of her circumstances screaming: "No! Don't trust her! She could be a double agent for those supremacist sickos!".

"Well, at least I'll be out of the way pretty soon," Jess laughed emptily. She tore her gaze away from Bucky's heavy blue eyes and tried to focus on the security feeds. "You know, either packing my bags or dead."

God freaking damn it, what the fuck? Honestly, she needed to carry a roll of duct tape around in times like these. Just have it handy for when her mouth runs amok on stress.

"Okay." Bucky tightened his crossed arms, shifting against the controls uncomfortably. Jess watched him from the corner of her eye. He looked like he wanted to elaborate or was searching for something to say. He scratched the back of his neck, messing up his bun in the process.

"You don't have to say anything," Jess mumbled, flicking her eyes back to the screens when Bucky's darted to hers. "You guys rescued me and let me stay and get better. That's more than enough."

"Yeah, I guess," Bucky nodded, rubbing under his jaw with his flesh hand.

Jess relaxed her frown and returned her attention to the screen with the mountain view. They were both stressed. Jess didn't have to sneak her way into Bucky's mind to sense it. With the Pirogovs and the other remaining, grossly loyal inhumans so close, their lives were on the line. And Steve, Wanda, Sam, and Scott were still out there keeping the Pirogovs's other henchmen away. And Rex, oh god, Rex. Jess hoped they decided to just leave her behind. At least then she'll be kept away from the fight. There was no way of lifting the tension and bringing up other pressing matters wasn't going to help.

What did she do to fight her way out of anxiety, again? Oh yeah, blab.

"Hey, Bucky?"

"Hm?"

"What do you guys do when you're not superheroing?" Jess asked. "Like, you know, hobbies?" Her finger scratched at the edge of a blinking button. Hopefully it didn't set off something important if she accidentally pressed it.

"Uh, nothing interesting. Steve likes to draw and spar. Sam cooks and watches TV with Wanda a lot," Bucky listed off. "Clint and Scott play a shit ton of videogames. Pranks sometimes. Knitting, too." His expression started to soften again.

"And you?" Jess rested her cheek against her arms to look up at him. Her finger still fiddled with the button absentmindedly.

"I don't know, I keep to myself," he answered. His lips bunched together into a line. Guarding himself again.

"I used to go ghost hunting," Jess admitted out of nowhere.

Bucky snorted. "What?"

"Yeah! My mother's super Catholic, so, naturally, I was interested in shit I wasn't supposed to," Jess explained. She rolled his eyes at his amused expression. "Okay, it's not that weird."

"Ghosts aren't real," he said like he knew everything in the world. Which is actually how he usually talked now that Jess thought about it.

"How do _you_ know that?" Jess raised a brow.

"I'm… pushing a hundred," he shrugged.

Jess nearly spit as she sputtered in laughter. Bucky flashed his eyes down to her, looking weirded out, but amused at her humor.

" _Anyways,_ I think I just liked exploring. Especially abandoned places. Check out the feel and history of it, you know?"

"Sure," he nodded back earnestly. There was a pause as she let Bucky try to get more comfortable. She can tell that he wants to talk more than he lets on, he just needs the chance.

"You—uh—you ever travelled?"

Jess shook her head and couldn't help but frown. She was planning to, dreamed to, but life never worked out that way. First of all, she would have needed a steady, flexible job with disposable income. That was unheard of after college. Then her Ma's memory started to break down, so Jess had to stay close especially when Ma decided to go back to her home country. She had longed to go back, even during the times she knew staying in the States was better for Jess and her future.

So much for that.

"I remember traveling," he murmured. "Sort of." His distant expression tugged something in Jess. He looked… afraid almost. Or at least, careful about what he was remembering. Her curiosity wanted to push him to tell, but she was afraid it might hurt him to. Even if it was Bucky Barnes's memories and not the Winter Soldier's, it could be painful to even remember. "Not often, I didn't like leaving Steve behind," he said as the corner of his lips twitching up slightly. "Then, it wasn't much of a choice."

"Where've you been?" Jess asked, sitting up straight in curiosity. She turned in her chair to face him as he watched the cam feed intently.

"Everywhere." The softness of his voice was undercut by the sudden stony look in his eyes. He cast his eyes down to his metal arm briefly, looking troubled, before swallowing hard. "England, Austria, Italy, Iran…" he trailed off, his expression going dark.

"Bucky," Jess tried, still getting used to calling him by the name. His gaze blinked to hers and her breath hitched at his hard expression. It reminded her of his glare in the dream, a reminder of the darker part of his past, a reminder that it isn't easy being Bucky Barnes. "We don't have to talk about this. I shouldn't have asked."

Bucky took in a deep breath, closing his eyes as he turned away from her. Jess heard him mutter under his breath, like he was running down a list. She looked away, focusing on the button her finger had picked at, as he settled himself. His breaths were long and sharp, shortening as he relaxed.

For a moment, all Jess heard was the steady heaving of the generator and the faint sound of the blood pumping through her head. Quick and hard.

"Where did you want to go?"

The question broke the tense silence and caught Jess by surprise. He was deep in what must have been awful memories not a minute ago.

"What?" was all she could blurt out.

"You like to explore, what did you want to explore?"

"Umm, I've always wanted to go to Machu Picchu and really any other 'ancient' ruin. Greece sounds romantic, but honestly I think I'm basing that off the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. China, Korea, and Thailand, but really mainly for the food. Oh! And I've seen pictures of some gorgeous hidden waterfalls in the Philippines, but I only ever got to go to one," Jess blabbed, a bit nervous now. But the thought of all those places, that little clichéd dream she had, let a smile creep up on her face.

"They've got a few waterfalls here," Bucky said. He seemed to have calmed down just fine, but Jess sensed his own nervous tick from the way he thumbed his clasped metal hand with his flesh one. "You—We—Sam could pull a few strings—can check them out after—"

"Bucky!" Clint shouted over the comms, pulling Jess's attention away from Bucky's hands. "They've engaged!"

"Oh shit!" Jess cursed, pointing at a screen. The scene unfolded in the background of the feed, but Jess could clearly see an ongoing battle between the Pirogovs forces and Wakanda's warrior squad. Neither side appeared to have an upper hand. The warriors were clearly trained to deal with some majorly enhanced enemies.

"Bucky, we have to go!" Jess said, pushing away from the chair. It hit the controls with a crack, but she ignored it, striding towards the elevator with vigor.

"They haven't called us in!" Bucky called after Jess. He followed her anyway.

Jess glanced at him as she pressed the button and slipped inside. "But they could need our help!"

Bucky pressed the button, forcing the doors to stay open. Jess narrowed her eyes and jabbed the lone button inside the elevator with her gloved thumb. One ding rang after the other as Jess and Bucky slammed their fingers on their opposing buttons.

What in the holy hell is he doing? She stopped her attempts to get the elevator up and took a step towards Bucky. "Hey—Barnes?!"

He shrugged and kept his finger pressed against the blinking button. "I thought there were only two to engage. There's six, now, Jessabell, it's better if we stay until it's necessary for you to engage."

"You're keeping me down here like some overgrown child needing babysitting!" She fucking knew it. He didn't go on the mission because they needed someone to keep an eye on her. They probably chose him thinking Jess would follow whatever he says without a word of protest. Out of intimidation or something.

Or better yet, hell, that's probably why he was so suddenly friendly last night. Get her to warm up to him quick before they left to make sure there weren't any problems today. Well, to hell with that.

"Fuck, now I know why they had _you_ stay!"

"Do you?" Bucky raised his brows, putting his flesh fist on his hip. He removed his finger from the button and rested his metal arm against the frame, blocking the doors from sliding closed.

Jess's hands tightened into fists in frustration. He was stalling and she knew it, but she had to get her word in about this. She was no match for his metal arm anyways.

"You think I'm just going to listen to whatever you order just because I'm intimidated or tired or your face or gullible or whatever; well, I'm not!" she babbled, not realizing she had rose to her tiptoes. She maintained her stance, stiffening at the creeping pain upon the arch of her feet. "I'm going up."

Jess raised her hand to nudge Bucky's arm free, but he was already pulling it back with a sigh. "Will you protest against some help?"

"I won't," Jess said, crossing her arms. "Neither should you." She stepped to the side to let Bucky in. They left the control center running and Jess squinted to see the rest of the skirmish before the doors closed. She could make out the Wakandan squad from the vibrant color of their armor. The women fought fiercely, but it was still a tough fight. She couldn't see the Pirogovs among the inhumans.

"They got away," Jess said. If they're closer now, it would be easier to track them down, get into their heads, and stop them. Jess placed a hand against the wall to steady herself and closed her eyes, trying to focus and quiet her other senses. Her other hand reached up to her temple just as the elevator ascended. The lurch of the elevator accelerating paralleled the push she felt as she opened her mind to the hidden noise her.

They were out there, much closer, and this time they have a proper destination. Could her mind work like a compass? She could at least try to figure out the direction they were coming from.

There was a tug towards the right, someone pulling her mind forward. She didn't pull back, but stayed her ground. The faceless one must know where the bunker was by now.

"That way," Jess pointed, her eyes still closed, towards the direction of the pull. "They're coming from that direction."

"Southeast," Bucky said just as the doors opened. "Let's go." She felt his hand brush against her back and Jess stepped out into his bedroom, the smell of vanilla hitting her nose. The scent reeled her back into her body and Jess opened her eyes.

Bucky had stepped forward, leading the way out into the hall. His back was tense and Jess noticed his thumb running back and forth along his finger, again.

"We're going to end this," Jess said, quickening her steps to join him at his side. Her teeth ran across her bottom lip, watching as his thumb rubbed harshly against the tip of his metal fingers. "Hydra's done messing with us."

Bucky chuckled lightly, letting her step into the main elevator. "You know their slogan? Cut off one head, two grow back?"

Jess scoffed. That sounded ridiculous. Pretentious almost. But not surprising coming from a bunch of supremacists. "Yeah, well, it's not about numbers. You're stronger than a whole army of them." Bucky shook his head a little, his hair partly covering his eyes as he stared at her reflection. Jess rolled her eyes, adding, "Metal arm or not."

Did his hair get in the way during a fight? He must have put it up sometimes. He had it in an adorable man-bun when she first woke up here. He really should put it up if they're about to get into a fight.

Oh _shit_ , they're about to get in a fight. They're about to throw it down against the Pirogovs. Bucky with his metal arm and his lifetime of experience as an assassin. Jess with her telepath mind and her vibranium tickle fingers? Oh, boy.

Clint with his stick and pointy projectiles? Okay, that makes her feel a little better.

Jess watched the doors open to the rooftop and jumped out; the steps were gone. The plants were all pushed to one side, making room for all sorts of gear and a huge machine placed right at the center of the roof. It pulsed continuously, emitting a golden light that curved into a dome that surrounded the bunker.

Jess walked towards the machine carefully. Clint must have doused the roof with water going by the leaking hose left in the corner.

"Looks like you took every precaution," Bucky observed, nodding at Clint's back as the archer paced around the perimeter. Clint turned, ready with a scowl for Jess, before addressing Bucky.

"Water was Scott's idea, something about short circuitting," he shrugged and returned to his watch with another glare for Jess. She crossed her arms and turned the opposite direction, frowning up at Bucky slightly. She ought to smack him, too, at this point. Clint, not Bucky. Bucky has been, for the most part, a solid guy.

"Other way, Hawkguy," Jess called, strolling to the edge of the roof where she sensed the Pirogov's approach. "They're coming in from southeast." She had no idea where southeast actually was, but thanks to Bucky's comment earlier she sure did sound cool as fuck.

Bucky stood behind her, arming himself with the gear Clint had laid out on the table. Their breakfast sat in the corner, the plates wiped clean of their leftover food.

So much for a stakeout picnic.

Clint trudged over to join Bucky, narrowing his eyes at Jess. "So, _now_ you can track them down?"

Jess rolled her eyes and glanced his way, flicking them over to Bucky briefly before saying, "Well, they're pretty close now. I'm surprised _you_ didn't pick up on them what with your hawk eyes and bird brain and all."

Bucky snorted, slipping a huge bullet into his utility belt before shoving a knife up his sleeve. Clint huffed and pulled an arrow out of his quiver and for a split second Jess thought it was going straight at her, but no. The arrow whizzed past her ear and Jess dived for the floor. She landed on her arm with a grunt, glaring at Clint through the slit of his bow.

"What the hell?!" Jess yelped, pushing herself off the ground. She grabbed one of the few knives that Bucky didn't take and made to throw it at the archer when he raised his hands up in defense.

"Alright, easy, that wasn't meant for you," Clint explained.

"Wasn't it?" Jess raised her brow, ready to fling the knife at Clint, even though she didn't know the first thing about effectively throwing a knife and maiming a man.

"Relax, it released a bunch of mini-bombs into the ground for your Pirogovs to trip on," Clint went on, trying to brush off Bucky's death glare. She should ask him how to do that. It looked extremely effective.

Jess groaned with frustration, holding the knife out to Bucky. He took it, gave it a once over, and nodded approvingly. "What do I have to do to earn your trust?" Jess asked Clint, her fists resting against her hips. This suit really did add confidence. "I earned his," she added, nodding at Bucky.

"Batting your eyelashes won't work on me, hon." Clint scoffed and rolled his eyes at her. He turned away from Jess's incredulous gasp before giving her a double take. "And I don't think so," he nodded at Bucky. "He likes to build trust. He's not looking for someone to earn it."

Before she had a chance to answer, a loud bang rang in the air before a flash of light caught her attention below. Jess skitted to the edge of the rooftop to see a plume of smoke rise from the very edge of the clearing.

"Aaand there they are," Clint mumbled, readying his bow with more arrows. A giant, glowing phaser rested against Bucky's arm, pointed straight at the base of the smoke.

Jess could sense them out there, but something was wrong. They were smug, confident. They weren't alone.

"Get away from the edge," Jess ordered, grabbing at the men's backs and pulling them with her. They didn't budge, obviously, but Jess kept pulling. "Something's up! Off the edge, now!"

Another explosion muffled the last of Jess's orders, sending the three flying off their feet. Jess never quite experienced ringing in her ears like this. It drowned out everything else around her. Bucky yelled something to her as he shielded her from falling debris. She couldn't quite focus, let alone see what was going on around her. There was dust and more smoke and the sky went from gold to the familiar light blue.

Something was coming.

She couldn't move. Her arm was stuck under something incredibly heavy and searingly hot. There was a lump in her throat. She wanted to look, but she was afraid. Bucky's eyes flicked down to her arm and Jess could see what she can only interpret as horror flash across his face for a second.

Someone was coming.

The ground under her shook for a moment and then there was a figure.

There he was, clad in all black, a shadowless, empty face. His arm reached out to pull Bucky away from her.

No. Never. Not again.

Jess felt her chords tear apart as she let out a piercing scream, shoving Pirogov to his feet. The man clutched at his head, his wiry fingers curling where hair should have been.

She let herself watch as Bucky took the sight in, but immediately his eyes went to hers.

"I need to do this," she managed to choke out. Her free hand pushed against his chest weakly. His frowned and Jess thought the hand going to her hand was meant to push it away, but no. Bucky pulled the both of them up to their feet, his other hand supporting her injured arm gently.

Jess could smell her burning flesh, the ash making it harder to hold back her tears, but she can't focus on this pain just yet. She studied the faceless Pirogov's writhing body as her hearing returned to her. Somewhere to her right was a proper scuffle. The one with electricity must have been taking on Clint.

No, wait. He felt different. It was the teleporter. Arrows flew at different angles, narrowly missing their intended target. Clint felt frustrated, but determined. He had it under control.

Bucky still stood behind her, his phaser back on his arm, pointed at the faceless Pirogov. She took a quick glance at him and saw his expression twisted in fear.

As for the faceless Pirogov, well, Jess wasn't going to let him go down so easily even in proper company. With her arm pulsing in pain clutched at her side, she made her way towards him. With each step, she sent a stab twice of that she felt herself, not just from her arm, but from the anger she harbored about the man.

"Where is she?" Jess spat at him. He only screamed and jolted in response. He was getting weak. He probably never felt such a thing course through him before.

"Where is she?!" Jess repeated, pulling back on her attacks. His writhing calmed, letting him take a respite from her mind. He lay there, sweaty and even looking a little pathetic. Jess tried to swallow and stamp out the bite of amusement she got from the sight.

And then he did it. A raspy little breath that made Jess's stomach lurch. He laughed.

"Come, now, Jessabell," he rasped. "Is this how you treat old friends?"

"Fuck, you," Jess tightened her mental hold on him, threatening him with more pain.

"We came back for you, Jessabell. How many people in your life have done that for you?" His voice went soft, like it did back in the Hydra base. Soft, and delicate, almost innocent.

The disgusting, manipulative bastard.

"Only one, and even she has forgotten you." There was a tug on her hold. It was him. He wanted to show her something. Something he had taken away. Another empty face.

"Let me show you, Jessabell," he almost cooed to her. The dread creeping up the back of her neck was stopped by just one thing. She needed to see her face again. Her Ma. Just once.

She can let go just this once.

"Jess, wait—"

Just this once.

Jess let go and let him in and there she was. Her beautiful mother, with her kind, heavy, if not a little judgy eyes. Her shy, warm smile. There she was again.

And then the dread took its own hold. There was her mother, but different. Sat in her armchair, repeating the same story over and over, not knowing that, yes, Jess is finally home and in her arms for the hundredth first time in such a long, long while.

Jess was too late. Now, she forgot.

"You can help her, Jessabell," came Pirogov's voice. "You don't even understand your full powers. I can show you."

"I don't need your help," Jess growled, pushing him away. She's keeping this memory of her mother. If only to remember her face, even if she couldn't remember her own.

Jess has got something she wanted, now for her friend.

Jess pushed back and found a weak defense in return. She must have tired him out earlier and she returned to her physical senses with more ease than she anticipated.

He was still on the ground.

Bucky moved. Her eyes shifted briefly to the fight on the other side of the rooftop. Another inhuman was there and Bucky was stuck in a fistfight. The inhuman's arms pulsed a fiery red, but his metal arm had no problem fending off her attacks.

Clint was nowhere in sight.

Her arm was numb.

"Where's Rex?" Jess shouted at him. She made use of her vibranium gloves and wrapped her good hand around his neck. "Where is she?!"

"Look inside of yourself Jess," he chuckled against her hand.

"Jess?"

Her head whipped up at the tiny sound that somehow drowned out the noise of the fights around her and down below.

"Rex!" Jess released her grip on Pirogov, stomping on his hand as she got up and ran to meet her friend. Rex's little face brightened at the call of her name and she went to scurry up to her when her expression dropped.

Right as the frown formed, Jess felt a surge of electricity shoot up her leg and go straight into her injured arm, waking up the nerves. The pain sent her hurtling to the floor, landing on her face and scraping the rest of her limbs as she tried to protect her injured arm from another blow.

"Fuck!" she spat.

"What did I say about swears?" the faceless Pirogov chuckled. Jess watched, whimpering at the pain of her arm, as his brother lifted him up from the floor. Sparks flew out of the other Pirogov's hands, connecting to something Jess couldn't quite see. His arm raised as if he was lifting something and sure enough, Clint's limp body clung to the ends of Sparky's electricity.

"Let him go!" Jess screamed at them, pushing herself up to her feet. Sparky chuckled and let Clint's body drift to the edge of the rooftop.

"Are you sure you want that, Jessabell?"

"Clint!" Bucky's shout drifted to their side as he sent a kick across the fiery inhuman's chest. It sent her flying backwards, hitting a wall with a bone-crushing thud.

Bucky started to run in their direction, but an unseen force stopped him. Jess saw a small twitch in the faceless Pirogov's hand as he held Bucky away from getting any closer.

"Fuck you, asshole."

She tried to focus on the Pirogovs, but her eyes kept darting over to Hawkeye's body. Was he dead? Dear Lord, God, was Clint dead?

"Not quite, yet," the faceless Pirogov answered her thoughts. "We were hoping you could do something about that."

That caught Jess's attention and she watched as Sparky pulled out a hand gun. He threw the weapon at her, a grin spread wide across his face.

Jess's eyes went from the gun to Clint and back and without hesitation she shouted, "No!"

"Oh, come now, Jessabell. I've shut down most of his nerves from firing. He's asleep. I'm sparing you from watching the life drain out of his eyes."

Jess shook her head. "I'm not killing an innocent man for you."

The faceless one scoffed. "Jessabell, have you not seen into his mind? His memories? He is far from innocent."

He abandoned the children, the baby, his wife. Spilled enough blood, evil and innocent, enough for a lifetime. And something darker, hidden, something she couldn't quite see, blocked from her and the other telepath.

She shook her head to clear it, "Neither am I and still these people gave me a chance."

"Shall we provide an incentive?"

Jessabell quirked a brow and before she could say anything back, a shriek behind her interrupted her thoughts.

"Jess!"

Rex flew off her feet as the faceless Pirogov sent her up into the air, dangling by her ankle.

"Jess, please!"

Jess ran to the edge of the roof, following Rex as she was pulled away. She jumped pathetically, trying to reach for Rex's outstretched hand, but it was no use.

"Choose Jessabell!" Pirogov ordered.

"Surely, this should be no problem," Sparky drawled. "Pick up the gun, Jessabell."

Jess turned away from edge, facing the Pirogovs with her eyes heavy with tears.

"You don't have to do any of this," Jess began, taking a slow stride towards the pair. "You have an army of inhumans, what would a single guy with a metal arm do for you?"

The gun was inches away from her feet. Her fingers itched for it.

"Power. Legitimacy. He is a part of something bigger, Jessabell, and so are you."

Jess nodded her head, gazing thoughtfully at the gun for a moment before slowly bending down and slipping it into her fingers. It was heavy and grimy, already stained with dried blood at its hilt.

She didn't have to send a kill shot at Clint. Hell, she'll probably miss and just graze his skin. Or maybe she'll miss so bad it goes straight through his skull?

"Enough, Jessabell!" the faceless one scolded.

"You're right," Jess started, flicking off the safety on the gun and raising it to her eye level. She aimed at Clint, right between his body and the sparks of electricity finding its way up his veins. She needed to be fast. Hopefully, this guy was quicker and smarter than he looked.

"About what?"

"It isn't a problem at all," she muttered, pulling the trigger right as she pushed into Clint's mind. She shook him awake, giving him everything he needed to know in a split second to save himself from a messy death.

Jess had to pull back in fast, the faceless Pirogov must have sensed something was up. As Sparky's energy jolted back into his body, the faceless one pulled on his hold on Bucky and Rex. Bucky landed hard on his back, but he sprung up quickly, dashing to the edge of the roof.

Please, dear Lord, Clint think fast.

"Holy shit!" she heard Bucky breathe. Clint must have been okay, but Rex?

Where did she go? She had to have landed somewhere behind her.

Jess whipped her head around, searching for the little girl and her bouncy hair, but she couldn't see, she couldn't even sense her. The faceless Pirogov just stood there, watching her, looking amused as his brother recovered beside him.

"Look at me Jessabell," the faceless one called. " _Jess, it's me."_

The sing-song voice rang in her ear, forcing Jess to look at the other telepath.

" _Jess! The arm!"_ he squeaked. Something crept up through the tight fabric of her suit. A small hand snaked its way up her ankle, sending goosebumps up her body.

"No," she whispered to herself, a sick feeling forming at the pit of stomach.

" _Jess, they hurt me,"_ the other brother mocked in a high-pitched voice. His mouth pursed around his words in a child-like pout. "So desperate for a friend, for someone to take care of, to fight for."

" _Stop,"_ the order, heavy and weak, caught in her throat.

"It took so little effort on my brother's part to conjure up your little illusion." He dared to take another step towards her.

Her eyes began to cloud in a mix of tears and ash and with her voice, wet and thick, she pleaded, " _Stop it."_

And another step, and Sparky stood just as close as he dared to Jessabell. " _Jess, you're so silly."_

"That's enough, brother!"

" _Captain America will protect you!_ And where is the dear old Steve Rogers, now, Jessabell? Probably gone in—"

" _Stop!"_ Jessabell screamed, lunging at him in a single stride, her vibranium-wrapped fingers curling around his neck. His hands tugged at her wrists, the bolts of electricity fizzing out as they met the metal fabric.

"Brother, no!" the faceless one yelped behind her and Jess could feel the pull on her mind. He tried to yank her consciousness away, but Jess held on to her body, her hands growing numb as they squeezed at Sparky's neck.

"Jess!" she heard Bucky call, "Jess not like this!"

No, this is exactly how it has to end. What they did to her—this is exactly what he deserves. His son of a bitch brother was next.

"Jess—" Bucky's calls were interrupted as the telepath pushed him to the ground with a flick of his wrist. He won't kill Bucky. He still wants him. Too bad Jess will get to him the second she's finished with his brother.

Sparky's lips started to turn blue, a shade darker than the weakening bolts emitting from his fingers. His gasps grew short and sporadic as he sputtered against her choke.

Nothing could stop her now, not even his brother who tried to pull back her mind and make her body an empty shell. There was no use, the anger in her too strong, the pain she already felt too searing that any more would not make a difference.

He knew this too, but he still kept pulling, even in his state. Weak and fatigued, he only ever had his brother, he needed to save him.

Well, Jess only ever had her mother.

"Brother—" There was sick crunch as Bucky landed a punch. Jess felt a wave of anger wash over Pirogov, a wave he pushed out to throw Bucky off his feet. "Oh, soldier, you've gotten weak. Shall I return your strength?" Craning her neck, Jess's gaze landed on Bucky. His chin was all scratched up and bloody, but he kept his head up, glaring at the faceless Pirogov.

" _Zhelaniye." Longing._ He wanted to go home, back to his old life, away from the trenches of war.

Bucky blinked at Pirogov before a look of annoyance flashed across his face.

 _"Rzhavy." Rusted._ The metal bed they strapped him to smelled of blood.

Bucky pushed himself off the ground with a grunt, his expression set and stoic.

"S _emnadtsat." Seventeen._ A single candle lit the loaf of sweet bread and the sickly blond boy's face as he smiled up at him.

Bucky took a step forward, standing stiff and staring at the faceless Pirogov, the flames reflecting in his eyes. They were trigger words. Pirogov was waking up the Winter Soldier.

" _Rass—Ah!"_ Pirogov clutched at his head, griping at Jess's attempts to subdue him. Her eyes locked onto the faceless one as her hands choked the other relentlessly. But Bucky, oh God, how was she going to pull him back if all her focus was on the Pirogovs? The pain was building too quickly in her mind, but if she stopped now, they'll get their hands on the both of them.

Just as her head threatened to explode, she heard a soft breath escape Bucky's lips. In her periphery, she saw his metal hand tighten, pull back, and slam into Pirogov's chest, sending him flying into the machine in the center of the roof.

"They don't have they same effect, anymore," Bucky explained in that surprisingly soft voice of his as he swaggered up to Pirogov. Jess watched as Pirogov struggled to stand on his feet, his hold on her mind pulling away weakly as his shaky hand started to point at Bucky.

" _Rassvet_ ," Pirogov tried again, jerking his hand forward. Bucky's jaw tightened as his metal arm raised again, fighting back against the unseen force.

"Sorry, you had to come all this way to find out," Bucky muttered, before the metal fist cracked against Pirogov's jaw. Jess felt the last tugs on her mind stop as the faceless one fell to the ground.

"Jess!" Bucky's voice boomed. His gaze went immediately to her and she looked away. He's good now, now she has to finish the other one. Vibranium scraped against the concrete rooftop and Bucky hurried over, landing on his knees in front of her.

She can't look, she can't stop now, he was almost gone.

"Jess! They've got them, it's finished, it's over, he doesn't have to die—"

"No!" her voice dropped. Just a few more seconds. She can feel his blood pump under her fingers. Everything was on fire, the ruin around her, her burning flesh, the rage boiling inside her. "They took _everything_."

"I know, Jess," Bucky answered calmly. But there was something in Bucky's voice, something that clicked, that made Jess look away from the monster in her grasp just as the last bit of consciousness slipped from its eyes.

"Don't become them," he said. "Don't let them win."

"I can't," Jess croaked, but she was suddenly aware of her hands, how numb they've gotten as she squeezed the life out of him. But he was so close.

"Jess, this won't fix it," he breathed.

"No, they won't hurt anyone else," she growled.

"They're done, we're bringing them in," he repeated.

"Cut off one head, two grow back," she reminded bitterly.

"And I'll be there to stop both, again and again," Bucky promised. Jess let her gaze pull up to his. "Jess, don't do this to yourself."

His eyes had gone soft and sad. Before, there was an anger in that sadness, but this time it was different. Here was a man, shrouded in even more darkness than she was, and he's telling her to show mercy.

Jess gasped as she finally let go of his neck, her shaking hands flying up to her eyes as the tears came. She pushed herself away from his body and tried to stand, but a single, gut-wrenching sob made her double over.

Bucky caught her just before her knees could knock against the ground. She couldn't bear to look at him, even as his hand wiped away the ash and tears from her face.

"I'm sorry," Jess choked, squeezing her eyes shut and letting more tears run a trail down her cheeks. " _I'm sorry."_

Bucky held her up as she sobbed, burying her face into his shoulder, repeating the words over and over. She felt nothing, no sign of life in the body that lay beside them. Not a single spark.


	10. Chapter 9

_**A/N:**_ Hey, everyone! A lot has happened since I last updated, mainly BLACK PANTHER FINALLY CAME OUT AND IT'S BEEN OVER A MONTH AND I'M STILL SHOOK AND INFINITY WAR IS COMING A WEEK EARLIER THAN EXPECTED AND WOW I'M THRIVING. Uni is still kicking my butt, but I'm still here, still shipping the heck out of Jess and Bucky. I hope y'all are enjoying your spring break (or have enjoyed, or will enjoy, I don't know your lives so y'all should PM or review more often it's too quiet on your end!)

Also, welcome to daniethornhill, HydeHijacktGackt, basilbeast, LeafyBee, lek99, and Ceyllena! Hope you stop by more often!

 __ _ **Hippolover:**_ I've granted your wish-sorry it's a little late :)

* * *

"You're never babysitting again, Buckaroo," Sam quipped, holding up an ice pack for Bucky's head. His wings rested against Bucky's legs in desperate need of repair. The bird had managed to fly up and pull Bucky and Jess out on one wing alone. He was only mildly impressed. Sam's annoyance alone must have been a hell of a fuel tank.

"I wasn't babysitting," Bucky mumbled as he narrowed his eyes at Sam. They sat quietly in the brightly lit lobby as the doctors and nurses rushed around them. He's never seen the medical bay so packed and chaotic.

"Housesitting, whatever, man," Sam pressed the pack harder against Bucky's temple, making Bucky hiss. "Whoops, sorry."

Bucky shook his head and smacked Sam's hand away to hold the pack up himself. He wasn't too beat up; a few fractures and burns here and there and just enough bruises to turn him into Barney for a day or two. He was more concerned about the other guys.

"How are the others holding up?"

"You mean Jess?"

"No, I mean everyone else."

"Man, you couldn't let go of her once I pulled y'all out."

Bucky's grip on the ice pack tightened, releasing more of the coolant to the surface. "She needed help walking."

"Her legs seemed to be working just fine to me."

"Why are you even here, Sam?"

"To keep you company, knucklehead," he replied, smacking the back of Bucky's head lightly. He sighed and rose from the bench before offering his arm for Bucky to take. Bucky grunted, but took it anyway. The pain in his knee should go away soon, but for now he'll take the crutch.

"Where are we going?" Bucky hopped along with Sam as he guided them through a wide hallway. All the rooms were filled and occasionally a nurse would pop out, a few giving the pair a hard glare.

"To answer your question," was all Sam said before turning the corner and pushing Bucky into the first open room.

A curtain partly covered the view of the bed, so Bucky hung back quietly as Sam strolled in.

"Knock, knock," Sam greeted, tapping his fist against the wall twice and stopping at the foot of the bed.

"Who's there—oh," came her croaky voice that dropped once she laid her eyes on Sam.

"Relax, I'm only transport," Sam chuckled at her. He pointed his thumb behind him, in Bucky's direction, before clarifying, "for him."

Bucky knew that was his cue, but his feet kept him planted where he was. Unable to step forward and, going by how lightheaded he suddenly felt, unable to breathe—he just stood there, frozen. Sam whipped his head around and rolled his eyes before giving him a look and mouthing, "Get your dumbass over here."

Bucky grunted, his jaw clenching and stomach ready to jump out his throat. _For fuck's sake, Barnes, what the hell is going on with you, today?_

With a sigh, Bucky put one foot forward and willed himself to move. The pain running all over his body was something he could really focus on at the moment. Better that than whatever the hell was going on that had nothing to do with the burns, breaks, and bruises.

"Heeey, there he is," Sam smiled, a shit-eating grin spreading across his face. He finally moved to the side and Bucky's eyes met Jessabell's. He stood there taking in the sight of her and she lay there taking in the sight of him and he really wanted to punch that grin off of Sam Wilson's face. She looked as exhausted and torn as he'd ever seen her and yet she still brightened up with their presence.

"Hi," Bucky managed to say, nodding at her.

"Our breakfast got cold," Jess said, her expression softening into a smile.

"I think Clint ate it," Bucky answered in return.

"Oh, yeah, right." Her face was washed clean, drying in the sterile environment of the hospital. There was a thin film wrapped around her burned arm that pulsed with a sickly green liquid.

"How's the arm?"

"Gross, but it'll heal soon," Jess said, lifting it up slightly to give him a better look. The liquid had started to dissolve the charred skin and Bucky could see flecks of new, pink flesh pushing through.

"Yeah, you wouldn't want to end up with one of these," Bucky mumbled, shrugging the shoulder and clenching the fist of his metal arm.

"Ah, Jesus Christ," Sam whispered beside him. Bucky saw him shake his head as he wiped a hand down his face. He suddenly felt the warmth creep up on his cheeks and he swallowed hard.

"Why not? I'll get it in red, like 3-PO," Jess grinned.

Sam groaned quietly, muttering, "Jesus, I can't watch this." Bucky turned towards him with narrowed eyes. He only stared back, unimpressed, before yanking the ice pack out of his hand. "Hey, let me get you a new one, seems like it's getting a little too _hot,"_ he said, his tone dripping in sarcasm at the end.

Bucky growled low enough so only he could hear. "Thanks, _Samuel."_

"My pleasure, _Buckaroo."_ Sam turned, dunked the still frozen ice pack into the trash, and left the room with a last wave to Jess.

"That was weird," Jess said, making Bucky turn to face her again. She shifted in her bed and grimaced at the pain it must have caused. She caught the concern that flashed across Bucky's face and blinked, looking at him pointedly. "I'm okay, Barnes," she reassured before nodding at the chair beside her bed. "You can sit if you've got nowhere else to go."

Bucky limped over to the chair and plopped himself down, taking too much care to appear casual. Already his thumb tapped against the fist of his metal arm in rhythm to the beep of Jess's heart monitor. He noticed it went up a few beats the moment he sat down.

"Hey, Bucky?"

"Hm?"

"I feel terrible."

"You do look like it."

 _Fuck, what the hell._ It was true, but that's not what he meant.

"Jeez, alright, well, I mean like, emotionally," Jess chuckled. She stared up at the ceiling, her eyes squinting against the white light above. She made a point to stare at it and avoid his eyes.

"Bucky," she started, her voice low and serious. "I'm not—I don't think I regret it. If anything, I'm more upset that I don't." Her hand went to her injured arm and she flinched at her own touch. She kept her hand there and rubbed it back and forth across the film, making the liquid pulse even harder. "I know I should, I want to, but I can't. My mom, my life, and … _Rex_."

Her voice cracked with the last word, her lip trembling. Bucky sat there silently, watching her shaky hand rub back and forth. He didn't know what to say to this. He could've come up with something if it had to do with brainwashing and torture, but this was something else. They gave her something to care about and protect in such a dark time and took it away in an instant.

"Bucky?"

"Hm?"

"Okay, sorry, you don't have to say anything, I just wanted to make sure you're listening."

Bucky sighed and pulled his chair closer to the bed. The screeching tore her gaze from the ceiling and her heavy eyes rested on his. They darted all around Bucky's skin, heating up each spot as her eyes couldn't choose a scratch or a bruise to study.

"You're really hurt," she frowned, her hand finally stopping.

"It's nothing," he mumbled. Jess narrowed her eyes at him, unconvinced. "It'll all heal faster than your arm."

"Okay," she nodded, biting down on her lip. They were dry and chapped, so her teeth pulled back enough skin to make her bleed. Bucky huffed and turned to the drawers next to her bed. There should be some petroleum jelly in there.

"I didn't regret it," he muttered, so low because part of him didn't want her to hear. He never did. Finishing off every last shred of the old Hydra didn't foster an ounce of regret in him. But it didn't fix any of his problems either.

Bucky already spotted the bottle he was looking for, but his metal hand kept rummaging through the drawer. In his periphery, he could see Jess turn her head and look at him with heavy lidded eyes as she sucked on her bleeding lip.

"Is that bad?" she asked in a whisper.

"Yeah, maybe," Bucky muttered, finally pulling the bottle out. He uncapped it and offered it to Jess, who took it with her good hand. "But at least there's one less of them out there."

"Is that what you tell yourself?" Jess asked, her voice cracking again. She frowned at the bottle in her hand, her expression turning sour. "Is that what I have to tell myself?"

Bucky shrugged. "It could all be worse."

Jess chuckled emptily. "Worse how?"

"Clint could be dead."

Jess raised a brow at him jokingly, smearing a coat of the ointment over her curling lips.

"Okay, I could be dead."

She shrugged with a roll of her eyes.

"First fight turned you dark."

Jess scoffed at his comment and handed him back the bottle. "I guess you're right." She wiped her finger with her blanket and pulled the fabric over her body, curling up as if to sleep.

"I should go—"

"No, no, stay," she started, raising her head despite the pain as Bucky got up to leave. "Please, stay. Well—you know—if you want." She tried a smile and rested her head against her pillow.

Bucky wasn't sure if he wanted to. Whatever the hell he was feeling was somehow telling him to stay while also telling him to get the fuck out of there before he says something real stupid. He stared at his tapping finger for a moment. He had nothing better to do.

"They keeping you here long?" Bucky asked, his lip curling slightly at the new smile that spread across her face.

Jess shook her head. "Once this heals, I'm off." Her smile faltered and she looked away, biting her lip again. "I guess I'm going back home."

"Ah," Bucky nodded. With the telepath locked up and his brother dead, there was no reason for her to stay here. Now, she can go back to her old life, her real life. "That's good." Bucky cleared his throat. A knot had formed out of nowhere and he cast his eyes back down to his hands. His finger tapped slowly now, coming to a stop.

"Oh, yeah, good," she said. There was a hint of disappointment in her voice, but he must have imagined it. Nothing was keeping her here.

 _Fuck, it's only just been two days._

"Wanda's gonna miss you," Bucky muttered still fighting through the lump in his throat. He rubbed his hands together slowly, feeling them tremble slightly. "You made her real happy."

 _How did this happen?_

"Yeah, I will, too," Jess sighed. Bucky could see her shift uncomfortably, picking at the seams of her bandages. He fought back the uneasiness running through him and forced himself to look at her. "Maybe telepaths have their own version of long distance calling?" Jess chuckled at her own joke and finally noticed his lingering gaze. "And maybe she can pass on a message or two," she added more definitively, her eyes immediately darting away from his.

"Someone's gotta keep Clint on his feet," Bucky muttered. She smiled weakly at him, focusing her gaze at the wound on his temple, her lips twisting as she studied it. She huffed and looked away again, thumbing the sticker that sent her heart beat to the machines beside her. He almost chuckled at the action before he caught himself.

 _Shit, you really had to go this far, Barnes._ There were people before her that caught his eye. But they never lasted, even in the best and brightest of circumstances. Bucky had a feeling she was going to stick no matter how hard he tried to forget for his own sake.

It didn't matter. She's got eyes for someone else.

"Well, Bucky, if you ever get out of here—"

"Jess?" Bucky craned his neck, annoyed at the interruption, and found Steve strolling into the room. He sighed, raised his brow in greeting, and pushed the curtain out of the way to give Jess a better view.

"Cap!" she grinned, "Long time no see!" Bucky lifted his chair off the ground quietly and moved to the side to give Steve his space. He noticed that she noticed.

"You're looking pretty good for your first fist fight," Steve nodded, steadying himself with the rail of the bed. His torso was wrapped in bandages and his arm in a sling, making him look puffy rather than his normal muscular self.

 _How the hell did Steve get better at smooth-talking?_ All the contact he's had has been with a bird, an assassin, and a spy. Every single one of them way out of his league. The tables have indeed turned.

Bucky slumped against his chair, scratched his chin against his metal fist, and watched the pair's exchange. Jess seemed so much more at ease with him, the obnoxious giggling and blushing aside. Steve certainly had no interest, he's got a girl of his own. And, yet, Bucky thought they made much more sense together.

Not that it mattered anymore. She'll be gone soon and he'll have to forget her. For once, for his own sake, he needs to forget.

* * *

 _No fucking way._ Jess wasn't an incredibly perceptive person, but she could have sworn she saw Bucky Barnes blush. She was just about to ask him to visit when Steve came in. It was a dumb idea even if he could.

"Yeah, Clint really stuck that landing on the landing," Jess nodded, only half-engaged in the conversation. Bucky moved his chair away from them, watching, but looking bored at their conversation. He pouted behind his metal fist.

Steve looked pretty banged up and—according to Wanda—it really was most of his fault. Apparently the man had a thing for getting beat up.

"We should've been there, some of us should have stayed behind," Steve droned on, his apology creasing the lines on his forehead. His beard was getting a little extra and his blond hair a little too long.

Jess shrugged before tilting her head at Bucky. "Yeah, I think we held everything down just fine all things considered." Well, Clint got a little useless in the end, but he was knocked out cold.

"Right," Steve breathed, raising his brow. "And about your release—"

"Oh, boy, that's a nice word to use—"

"—Sorry, you heading home," he tried, his hair flopping around when he shook his head. "There are some—complications."

"Sorry, what?" Jess blinked, leaning forward before realizing how bad of an idea that was for her neck and arms and everything in between. "Complications?" She saw Bucky's ears perk up at this and he leaned forward, too, before stiffening and trying to maintain his "casual" look.

"Uh, Buck," he turned to his friend, before tilting his head towards the door. "You mind?"

Before Bucky could stand, Jess stopped him and said, "No, he can stay, I want him to."

Steve's eyes darted between her and Bucky before nodding slowly. She caught another quirk of his brow that was meant for Bucky, but it didn't bother her as much as his shift in tone did.

"Sorry, I don't mean complications. Some of the Wakandans, they're… they're curious about you," he explained. He tried to cross his arm with the other, but remembered his sling a little too late. What should have been a scream of agony in a normal person's healing process was a little grunt instead.

"About me?" Jess quirked a brow at him.

"About your powers." And there it is.

"Okay, cool, do I have a choice in this?"

"Short answer is technically," Steve winced.

"Cool, okay," Jess nodded, mulling over her technical-but-we-all-know-rights-don't-mean-much-anymore choice.

"I'll give you a chance to think it over," Steve nodded, stepping away from her bed.

"Well, I could stay here and annoy all you guys as a proper guest then. That's a pro, right?" Jess joked half-heartedly, her eyes locking on Steve, but peeking at Bucky through the corner of her eye. She thought she saw his lip twitch up, sending another blush up her cheeks.

"Huh, right," Steve gave her a tight smile, something in his eye telling her that wasn't completely right. Her own forced smile loosened at his answer and she instinctively tried to push into his mind.

Steve's widened eyes made her stop. She's sure she'll get her answer later, but she didn't like to be kept in the dark. "Sorry," she mumbled at him, shaking the hair out of her face.

Steve raised a hand to wave off her apology and turned to Bucky, who was looking a little more alive than when Steve walked in. "Buck, there's a debrief in ten, let's get going," he informed him, nodding at the door.

"Right," Bucky muttered and he pushed himself off his chair. His bruises must have been healing super quickly there was so much red on his face.

Steve headed out of the room first, returning her salute and wishing her a quick recovery. He waited outside for Bucky, pretending to study something down the hall, but Jess could sense his focus was still inside the room.

Bucky made sure the chair was right back where he found it. Jess knew his legs moved much quicker than that. "Hey, Bucky?"

"Hm, yeah?" he dropped the chair down with a thud.

"If you've got time later, do you mind stopping by again? I've got… questions… about the thing." She did. If anyone knew about how the Wakandans handled what was basically a human—or in her case inhuman—and in his case superhuman?—experiment, Bucky would know.

"Uh, sure," he muttered with a nod before turning to the door. "I'll—uh—see you later."

"Bye, Buckaroo."

He turned, glaring at her, but the grin on her face softened his eyes a little. She waved before pulling the covers over head. Damn, she needed to sleep. Too much shit has happened and these new things tacked on to that, well, her head really will implode if she thought too long and hard about it all.

* * *

The debrief, as per usual, ran way too fucking long. Bucky's part didn't come in until the very end of the meeting, so he mostly sat there toying with Sam's wings while the others yakked on. T'Challa sat at the head of the table, clad in his Black Panther armor as he listened to Sam's account of the rescue.

"Bunker 5 is damaged and repairs will take a few days. Scott is down there supervising the clean up," Sam dragged on, trying to avoid the more pressing topic of conversation. "We're hoping to move into a temporary safe house right at the border within the night—"

Sam paused when T'Challa raised a hand to him. Bucky immediately stopped his fidgeting, pushing Sam's wings out of his lap.

The king's expression remained stoic when he addressed them.

"I'm afraid that will not be necessary," T'Challa said. He leaned forward from his chair and Bucky could feel Steve tense behind him. Wanda's gloved hands tightened around each other, her red mist emitting from her palms before she quickly pulled it back in. T'Challa looked up at Steve, nodding once. "Rogers, I believe you have something to say."

"Nat's safe houses have been checked and they're ready for move-in," Steve sighed, pulling out his phone. He placed it on the center of the table and a hologram map popped out, red diamonds dotting over every other country. "We just have to pick a place."

"We're leaving?" Wanda asked, her eyes roaming all over the map. She asked the question, but she didn't seem to be looking for an answer. She stopped at a diamond lighting up the middle of Scotland and Bucky noticed her own eyes light up.

"We've overstayed our welcome," Sam nodded with a heavy sigh. He noticed his wings had moved from their place near his legs and he threw Bucky a quick glare. Bucky shrugged in return, looking as innocent as possible.

T'Challa nodded once and Steve grabbed his phone again. Bucky turned and held out his metal hand, asking for it. His heart skipped a beat when Steve slipped it into his palm, the evasive feeling of freedom within his grasp.

"I'm afraid this is the last incident my council and I can tolerate," T'Challa explained, appearing firm, but sighing in disappointment. "Fortunately for you all, the amnesty negotiations are coming to a close."

Amnesty. Yeah, right. At most, he was probably going to get some sort of house arrest. Eventually, the others will be able to walk free once public interest settles down. But for the man with the face of the Winter Soldier? Probably not.

Bucky huffed to himself as he scrolled across the map, looking at the places he could go. His stomach churned at the thought of leaving this place, but he knew he couldn't keep hiding out here. Freedom was a fickle thing, something that was always out of his grasp, but now everything was starting to align in a way that it will actually be given to him.

"The documents stating the conditions of your respective agreements have been sent to your communicators," T'Challa noted, rising from his chair with alarming grace. Everyone in the room stood with him, nodding their heads down out of respect. He took his mask from where it sat on the table and held it carefully with his claw. "I will see you all for the signing."

Sam and Steve murmured their goodbyes as Bucky and Wanda nodded their heads. The door opened for T'Challa and he stepped into the hall quietly, Ayo leading the way out through the glass doors. Bucky watched their towering figures go, the communicator in his pocket suddenly feeling a lot heavier.

"So, anyone else down for Hawaii?"

"Sam."

"What? It's got nice, tropical weather. Nothing bad ever happens in tropical weather," the bird shrugged. "Wanda, back me up here."

"I kind of want to go up north," the glint still in her eye. "Somewhere quiet."

"What about you, Buck?"

Steve had moved to Wanda's side, eyeing the phone still in Bucky's hand.

"Tropics seem nice," Bucky mumbled, glancing over a different group of islands near the equator. It wasn't really a change of scenery, but some other place that had little part in international affairs would be nice.

"We should talk about it when the others are around," Wanda said, pushing herself off the chair. She stretched her back out, cracking it in the process, before turning to the door. "I'm going down to the wounded unit," she said, giving a wave.

"Clint was transferred to recovery," Sam reminded her.

"Oh, I'm not going for Clint," Wanda said with an edge to her tone. Steve sighed and motioned for his phone back. Bucky gave the map another once over, committing it to memory, and slid it across the table.

"Then, you're out of luck, Jess's booked," Sam informed her, smugging at Bucky. _Damn_ , _Steve_.

Wanda raised a brow at Bucky. He chose to stare at his hands instead. "Oh, is she?"

Sam snickered beside him, hiding behind his hand while Steve turned red. He better be blushing and not holding in a laugh.

"Come on, guys," Steve said in a mockingly mediating tone. "This is completely inappropriate after what just happened—"

"I take checks, but I prefer cash," Sam quipped as he stood from his chair. His hands went to Bucky's shoulders and squeezed them. "They grow up so fast," he cooed into his ear.

"God, are you people twelve or something?" Bucky shook his head and shrugged Sam's hands off. He stood from his chair and joined Wanda at the door. She gave him a knowing look. "God, you saw this coming didn't you?"

"He didn't deny it. Sam, you owe me five," Steve muttered behind them.

"Don't blame Wanda, security cams are every where, Buckaroo," Sam said, pointing up at the ceiling. He pushed past him and opened the glass door, the cool air slipping inside. "But it pays to know a psychic."

"I hate all of you," Bucky groaned.

Steve patted Bucky on the back with a smirk and followed Sam outside, the pair going down the hall towards more meeting rooms. Wanda was already making her way to the elevator, a skip in her step that sent a new surge of annoyance through Bucky. These people are the worst.

The elevator ride was quick and Bucky trudged behind Wanda in a mood. They were being ridiculous. Nothing was going to happen. She was going to go back home and he was going to wherever Sam and Steve decide to take the team. She can go free and live out a normal life, but Bucky knows he'll never be completely free, even with this amnesty deal. A normal life will never be on the table for him.

An obnoxious alarm pulled Bucky out of his thoughts. It was coming from down the hall, blaring just outside Jess's room. Wanda stopped in her tracks, her eyes distant. She was picking up on something, but Bucky wasn't going to wait to find out. He grunted against the pain that shot up his legs as he sprinted across the short distance to Jess's door.

"Jess?!" Bucky breathed as he ripped the curtain out of the way. She was covered in a sweat, breathing heavily, as her closed eyes darted around. He was about to wake her when a force pushed him to the side and Wanda walked in, her hand stretched out towards Jess.

"Jess, it's a dream," her voice echoed in the room, the smoke from her hand drifting around Jess's head. Her magic calmed her breathing and erratic eyes and Jess came to, drowsy and disoriented.

Her eyes went from Wanda to Bucky and she groaned, her hand going up to her temple. "Well, fuck." Her fingers massaged the area, her brows furrowing. "Is there a button?" she pointed up, indicating to the blaring noise.

"It should stop once your heart rate stabilizes," Bucky said. She was still at 180, but it was slowing down. She wiped the sweat off of her face and looked up apologetically.

"Bad dream," she mumbled.

"Still?" Wanda asked, concerned.

Jess shrugged. "I guess traumatic events do that to a gal." She rested her head against the pillow, her usual bright smile gone. "I never asked, is Clint doing okay?"

"Yes, unfortunately," Wanda frowned, crossing her arms. She chose to lean against the wall behind her, placing Bucky between her and Jess. He didn't like this.

Jess smiled weakly, shaking her head at Wanda. "Great."

"Not for him when he wakes up," Wanda said, rolling her eyes before tossing her hair over her shoulder. The glint in her knowing look shined even more.

He was in for a bad one once Clint and Scott find out.

"The guy fought bravely. I mean he was thrown around like a rag doll, but a noble one," Jess nodded, grinning again before a flinch flashed across her face. Her eyes flicked to his and she saw him notice. She just shook her head before darting her eyes down to her wringing hands. He thought he caught a smile crinkle her eyes, but he must have imagined it.

Wanda huffed behind him and he knew it was at their exchange. "Brave or not, he's such an ass, but an ass who I should check up on."

 _Fuck, this was it, a cue._

"You go ahead," Bucky said. It sounded like a god damn gurgle once he managed to choke it out of himself. "I'll stop by later."

"Okay!" Wanda blinked, a smug spreading across her face that rivaled Sam's. She gave a wave to Jess before shoving her hands into her pockets. "Later, Jess." She threw another knowing look at him before winking discreetly and slipping out of the room, her hushed laugh echoing in the hall.

"So, like, do you need an escort every time you visit or are they just hovering?"

Bucky turned to Jess with a wince and pushed the chair to her side before settling himself down. "Both," he answered, leaning back against the cushion.

"Why would you need an escort?" she quirked her brow, her expression finally softening. She was tense before, Bucky just noticed from the way she seemed to relax now. "More importantly," her voice went low, "why are they hovering?"

Bucky blinked several times, his lips parted as he opened and closed his mouth looking for an answer. "Uhhh… they—uhhh..."

"Oh, god, are we back on square one with the trust thing again?"

"No!" he blurted out quickly, knowing that their initial suspicion of her had caused distress. "I don't think so." He scratched the back of his neck as her eyes narrowed at him, but still not at his own pair. Why did she rarely ever make eye contact with him?

"Is it like an overprotective thing?" she tried.

"Yeah, yeah, they are," Bucky nodded. It was true. Bucky couldn't so much as go take a peek at the sun without Steve sending someone from the team outside with him.

"You're not a child."

"I'm painfully aware."

The idea seemed to actually frustrate her, her voice getting harsher. "I mean, I get it, but jeez, how do you have the patience?" she asked.

"You went through puberty," Bucky shrugged. It was the same thing.

"Yeah, I had one mom, not five," Jess laughed, rolling her eyes as she rubbed at her bandage. It was starting to itch more. That's good, that means the nerves are restitching themselves. "And she wasn't a telepath or a soldier or whatever the hell Scott is—it's bothering me I still don't know." Her tongue clicked as her expression twisted, looking at the door in thought. "Shit," her eyes widening funnily as a thought occurred to her. "Is he the red guy with the cape?"

"What? Who? Oh—fuck, Jess," he let out a breathy chuckle. He closed his eyes as he let himself laugh, let himself enjoy the warm, fluttering feeling in his chest. He hoped it wasn't some freak heart attack.

"Then who?!" Jess giggled, propping herself up on her good arm. "Tell me Bucky Barnes or I will tickle you into submission." She wiggled her fingers threateningly at him, raising her brow with a smug. Bucky gave one last huffed laugh before deciding to try something.

His eyes flicked from her gaze to her lips before catching her eye again and locking their gaze. At first she snorted through her giggle, before realizing Bucky wasn't planning to look away. She froze then and the muscles of her cheeks twitched as they grew a patchy pink. The twisting feeling tightened in his stomach as her cheeks got redder and redder and Bucky was sure more than a minute had passed but he's only counted to six so far in his head.

Oh, for the love of _God_ this better be what's supposed to happen. Otherwise he's only trusting Shuri when it comes to his arm.

"Um, just kidding," Jess managed to say, turning away, flipping her hair in an attempt to hide her face. It barely did, the dry knots stuck to the newly formed sweat on her face. She went back to scratching at her arm, going quiet.

Bucky blinked, turning the other way, eyeing her health monitor. There goes her heartbeat again. "They'll take care of you here," he mumbled, watching the incessant peaks come one right after the other. The blood rush would probably be good for her arm anyways.

"No freaky mind experiments?" she asked jokingly, but her expression was heavy, half-expecting that to be the truth.

"Not here," Bucky shook his head. "They've got the best people." The corner of his lip curled at his first memories here, how excited Shuri was at the task of rebooting his mind. Wanda had vehemently refused any sort of tests on herself and Shuri found her powers much more interesting than Jess's.

She took a heavy breath and nodded before looking up at him. She couldn't meet his eyes anymore, instead focusing somewhere around his beard area. Sam said that the grey hairs were fine and showed a classy masculinity. Shuri said something about rat whiskers. He should've listened to her.

"I suppose you turned out okay," she shrugged, feigning indifference. He raised his brow before crossing his arms. His metal arm whirred, still repairing the damage from that fire breathing inhuman. "I'm kidding, you're a proper hero." Her lips pursed as she tried to suppress a smile, making her look funny, but her bright eyes gave it away.

Bucky didn't know what to make of her comment. "I—uh—I don't know." He shrugged stiffly, feeling his forehead crease. This was the second time she called him that. It just doesn't sound right.

"Aww, Bucky," Jess sighed. "I'd love to see the day you'll see that."

"Hmph," he shrugged again, shaking his head. Now she rose her brow at him, gnawing at her lip before settling back in her bed.

"A woman stopped by looking for you earlier," she mumbled. Her gaze went down to her hands. "Had some funny looking eyebrows, but really pretty."

Bucky leaned forward, curious. He didn't know any women. Aside from a few Dora Milaje, the mothers at the village, Shuri—nah she's a kid and so is Wanda actually—so who? Unless it was _her._

"Did she look… scary?" Bucky couldn't think of a better word, sue him. Jess narrowed her eyes at him and Bucky tried to lean back into his chair as casually as he could. His neck never felt so stiff.

"Sort of, I mean there were _two_ Glocks attached to her thighs and glow sticks at her back like they were samurai swords, but really all I could focus on were her eyebrows—"

"Shit."

"What?" Jess raised her brow, not in suspicion this time. "Who is she?" She rose from the bed a little too quickly and her eyes glossed over before Bucky's arm shot out and wrapped around her shoulders, cushioning her slump. She twitched away from his touch briefly and used her arm to support herself instead. Bucky's flesh arm went back to his lap as quickly as it could.

"Nothing," he shook his head. She only came when it had to do with the amnesty deal. It really is happening.

Jess huffed, blowing a stray hair out of the way. "Doesn't sound like nothing." She sat up slowly and Bucky adjusted the bed for her as she massaged her arm. It looked even better, but her veins had a strange dark blue tint to them. It must have to do with her ancestry.

"You don't know her."

"Well, she seemed to know me," Jess shrugged. "It was kinda weird."

Bucky nodded. Of course she'd do her research. "Yeah, she's like that."

"It made me very uncomfortable," she added.

"She has that effect on people."

"Bucky, you're not answering the question," Jess narrowed her eyes at him again, boring a hole straight into his nose. It's fine, he couldn't really look her in the eye either. " _Bucky—"_

"She's—uh—she's… a woman," Bucky muttered. Jess was right, she was "weird" and how they knew each other was "weird" and a constant reminder of something they both would rather forget.

Jess nodded, almost sympathetically. "Ahh, so like an ex?"

"No!"

"Well, you're forcing me to make assumptions, so!" Her hand flew up, palm open to the air, as she shook her head with widened, impatient eyes.

"She's—she's a—"

"Okay, nevermind," her hand went up to stop him. "It seems like it makes you too uncomfortable."

"I was about to tell you," he looked at her, slightly annoyed.

Her ears perked up at this, a little smug spreading across her face. "Okay, good. This whole—" she made a motion with her good hand, waving it at him circles—"thing is distracting from the void of my emotional trauma, please continue."

Bucky furrowed his brow at her words, confused and concerned at the same time. When she rolled her eyes at him, Bucky sighed. He'll mention it later.

"I knew her as a child."

Jess's head tilted in question. "She was frozen, too?"

"No, not me as a kid, her as a kid, but she doesn't age right either, the goddamn Russians got a hold of a version of the serum, but hers wasn't as effective as mine or Steve's," Bucky explained. He was never this inarticulate. Something about this conversation is throwing him off and he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Sounds kinda creepy now, Barnes," she commented as she made a face.

"She's not an ex!"

"Okay, thank God," she muttered, out of relief. Something in her expression made Bucky think it wasn't just out of the morality of it all.

"I helped train her to be an assassin, of the covert Russian kind," Bucky continued.

"Oh," Jess nodded, slowly. "Oh—oh!" Her face twisted in all sorts of ways as one realization after another dawned on her. "Oh, boy, that sounds heavy."

"Yeah," Bucky nodded back, his eyes darting down to his now folded hands. His thumb tapped at the end of the other. He doesn't know what to say next. Any more, and he exposes who she is and what they've done and Bucky did not want any of that known to Jess. For some reason or another.

"You don't have to go into specifics," Jess mumbled and Bucky's gaze flashed up just long enough to catch her eye for a brief second. The contact made him freeze, his stomach wanting to jump out his throat again before she quickly looked away.

"You read my mind," Bucky half-joked, a part of him disappointed that she couldn't meet his eyes again. He knew he'd scare her off somehow eventually.

"Nah, just the sweat going down your forehead." He heard a smile in her voice. "Not even your long ass hair can hide that."

"The kids liked it," he mumbled to himself, patting it with his metal hand.

"No, it's nice and soft and all— wait—l" Jess paused, her head doing a tilt again. "Kids, what kids?"

He thought he said that to himself. "The… children."

"Bucky, that's a synonym, not an explanation."

God, she really needed her answers, didn't she? But Bucky really needed to figure out how to keep his mouth shut in front of her. Normally, being as quiet as a dead guy came so naturally to him, but with her? She had so many damn questions.

Yeah, that was it, the questioning.

"What is it, some forbidden child you had in your Hydra days?"

"No, God no," his eyes widened at the idea, horror flashing briefly across his face. "The—uh—village kids, they—their families helped take care of me." He was really sweating now. He was not used to this. But as much as her questions made him uncomfortable, Jess herself didn't. Strange, but something about the way she regarded him made him feel almost safe, in a way. And that in itself was a comfort he isn't familiar with. Not with just anyone.

"Oh, aww Bucky, that's cute." Bucky looked up from his hands finally and found her grinning at him, the corners of her eyes crinkling. He wasn't really thinking, but Bucky went for it anyway and pulled at his collar, exposing the necklace that scratched at his skin every damn day. The fangs shined under the hospital light as Jess's eyes brightened at the carefully melded bone and vibranium.

"They—uh—made me this."

"What does it say?" she asked, indicating at the glowing dark blue inscription across the plated chain.

"Oh—uh—'White Wolf'," pointing at each letter as he answered. Jess nodded, looking impressed as the glow danced around his neck, the vibranium catching what he felt inside him even as he couldn't quite understand.

Her expression brightened even more all of a sudden.

"What is it?" Bucky asked, feeling more aware of himself all of a sudden as she smiled up at him.

"It's just— that's like a superhero name," she said softly. Bucky groaned, stuffing the necklace back under his shirt as a pout formed on her lips.

"You gotta stop saying that."

"And you have to stop denying that, but whatever, in due time I suppose," she shrugged, feigning a dignified demeanor.

He sighed, shaking his head before muttering, "I've done too many bad things, too many mistakes."

"Well, you sure made up for mine," she said firmly, but it was clear she was reaching for words.

"No, you fixed yours," Bucky said, shaking his head. "Pretty permanently."

"Yikes, we're condoning murder now I see," Jess cringed. Bucky sighed and rubbed at his soft beard. If he kept talking, he knew he'll corner himself.

"It was self-defense; he would've killed all of us—"

"No, you can't make excuses for me, not after what I've done to you all," she murmured, interrupting him. Her face fell, looking off to the side as she remembered something. "I should've said something. I saw them coming."

"Next time, then," Bucky blurted out the words before he really thought about them. Next time? What next time?

"Huh, don't think I should be given that chance," Jess said, shrugging it off. She went quiet for a moment, her teeth biting her lip stopping her from speaking. When she finally spoke, her words came out rough. "I caused this rift."

"Rift? What are you talking—"

"She made it very clear," Jess said quietly.

"Who?"

Jess looked at him for a moment, then peeked out the door, and finally to her fidgeting hands. "Eyebrow lady," she answered, quirking her own. "Something about aggravating the 'delicate situation'. I—I didn't know you were so close to a clean amnesty deal."

Jesus Christ, he knew he should've stayed in case someone wanted to give her an earful. He thought it'd be Clint, but he probably sent Natasha in instead.

Bucky sighed, feeling that damn nerve in his temple that usually came with the dawn of bullshit. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed deeply before reassuring, "It would've happened eventually. We're all pretty volatile. None of them are happy here."

"Excuses, Bucky," she murmured, smiling sadly at him.

Bucky shook his head, looking at her just as sadly. "It's not an excuse, it's the truth."

"So, what happens now?"

"We find someplace else to stay," he shrugged, nodding to himself. He'll probably end up following Steve. That meant following Sam, too. He'll have to ask about those noise-cancelling earbuds Wanda mentioned to him the other day.

"So, proper freedom then," Jess murmured. "Got any ideas on where you're staying?"

Bucky shrugged, he probably shouldn't say. Knowing Steve, he'd want to go somewhere where he can "make a difference" which they all knew was code for "pick a fight". So, the Kremlin mainly?

"I'll just tag along with the others," Bucky mumbled. He had his own ideas, sure, but that's a luxury he doesn't deserve let alone afford. He'll need somewhere where he can blend in or at least stay under the radar. Having the face of the Winter Soldier sure complicated things.

"Oh, come on," Jess looked at him, narrowing her eyes. "You've got the whole world to see, where do _you_ want to go?"

He shrugged, uneasy at the sudden twist in his stomach. "I don't do well on my own," he said quietly. Bucky let his gaze drop to his fingers as their metal tips scratched at the bed in front of him. He was expecting either a snarky remark or something blindly sympathetic, but got nothing in return.

"Well," Jess started after a beat, "I'm sure if you told the others—"

"It's not up to me."

"But it's your life—"

"It's not that simple."

"Is it? Or are you just making it that way?"

Jess's tone raised a pitch, a tone he noticed she took on when frustrated. She groaned to herself before letting out a breath. "I—sorry—I just mean—it's not fair."

"Maybe not, that's just how it is," Bucky said through gritted teeth. In a way, this is his penance. Not having a normal life, not feeling completely free. It wasn't his fault, but the Bucky Barnes that lived before Hydra got a hold of him died a long time ago.

"Well, if you're ever in the mood for warm, humid weather," she said, her cheeks going pink again, "You're—you—all of you—are welcome to stay at my Ma's place. I mean technically it's mine now, but it was her money and land. Land makes it sound big—it's pretty cramped to be honest, so maybe half of you could visit at a time? I doubt Clint would want to come, so that's one less person, I guess…" she trailed off slowly, realizing she was rambling again.

Bucky scratched the back of his neck, feeling the warmth of his skin under his fingers. "Yeah—uh—thanks. I'll pass it along," he nodded with a cough.

"Cool, okay," Jess smiled sheepishly at him before turning her attention back to her arm. The device did a damn good job at healing the skin. The flow of fluid began to slow as her new pink skin completely replaced the charred layers from before.

"Your arm's almost ready," Bucky mumbled, nodding at the device as she flexed the limb slowly.

"You make it sound like it's cake in the oven," she chuckled to herself lightly. She reached over the other side of the bed, rummaging through a sack sitting on a small table. Bucky didn't notice it until now, but it had a familiar design. "The nurse dropped this off earlier," she explained. She made a triumphant noise when she found what she was looking for. "Told me to turn this on once the machine stopped." Bucky watched as she pulled out a single kimoyo bead, an early prototype of Shuri's going by the bulky design and weight it seemed to have in her hand.

"It's a communicator," Bucky said. "Just hold and think, it should be new enough for that."

"Jeez, and I thought you'd be the old person when it comes to tech," Jess joked before scooting herself closer to Bucky. She stopped when she noticed him tense up.

He's not used to this. It's strange. Or at least a strange feeling.

Bucky shook off the churn of his stomach and forced his chair closer to the rail of the bed. She seemed to relax from this.

"This better work or this telepathy shit was all for nothing," Jess said, closing her eyes and focusing. The bead's light began to flash as it searched for the signal. They weren't too far from the main lab—this bead must be old.

"9-1-1, what's your emergency? Do doo doo doooo—"

"Shuri, for the love of god—"

"Bucky? What are you doing there?" The grains of vibranium shot out of the bead and shaped together to form a live bust of Shuri's head, making Jess yelp, jump, and drop the bead on her knees. "Ant-Guy said—whoa, okay, woman calm down."

Jess had kicked the bead to the end of her bed, causing Shuri's vibranium head to distort in an alarming manner.

"What the shit," she muttered under her breath, leaning down to get a closer look at the bead from the safety of her covers. It was funny to look at as Shuri frowned up at her impatiently.

"What is it? Never seen a genius come out of a bead like a—a—wow—like a genie in a bottle—hold on, I need to write that down and fix it into a real joke before I forget—"

"I won't forget such a bad one," Bucky muttered.

"Say that sentence again and notice the irony in it, white boy," Shuri said, the grains shifting so she can roll her eyes at him. Why did he even try—as she would say—roasting Shuri? Even Sam or Clint couldn't get anything at her. Not that they'd dare try.

"What is this?" Jess breathed, still looking suspiciously at the bead.

"Really? This freaks you out?" Shuri asked, raising a brow. He could imagine her crossing her arms as she paced around her lab. "Have you met you?"

"Well, I've met me and gotten used to me— _this_ I don't understand."

"Just your basic hologram—nothing special here, but _you_ on the other hand. We don't understand people like you, yet," Shuri said, waving off Jess's own amazement. "But now that you're close to a full recovery, we can get started. With your consent of course." Bucky could hear the excitement in Shuri's voice. It would have been concerning if it was anyone else.

"Right, so uh," Jess glanced at Bucky briefly and he looked at her with widened eyes. If he did anything else, Shuri would definitely catch on and he'll never hear the end of it. He's got a reputation to uphold. It wasn't much, but it was there.

"I can explain everything when you get to my lab," Shuri said, nodding up at her with a smile. "This was just an introduction to give you a taste of real Wakandan tech. To be honest, maybe you shouldn't—"

"Nope, I'm curious now—When and how am I getting to your lab?" Jess asked, excitement building up in her voice now.

"I've cleared you with the staff and asked a Dora to escort you," Shuri said, returning her eager smile. "Bucky, you might as well come, I've got something for you."

"If it's another prank with Scott I don't want—"

"No! Scott's doing his job, not being lazy like you as I can see," Shuri said, tilting her head at him. "Now, hurry up, Aneka's at the lobby waiting for you two. Shuri out." She held up a peace sign, covering her face before the bead flashed once and sucked the grains back in.

"Oh, boy," Jess muttered, grabbing the bead from the end of the bed. She shoved it back into the sack beside her and regarded the device around her arm with annoyance. "How do I get this off— oh, okay," Jess nodded as the device stopped pumping and detached from her arm before folding in on itself. Her uninjured hand smoothed over the new skin carefully.

"That's neat," Bucky muttered. Neat? Who the fuck says neat?

"It is!" Jess grinned. She pulled down the sleeve of her dressing gown carefully over her arm. "Should we head down to the lobby then?" she asked, tugging the sack onto her lap. She draped the strap over her shoulder as Bucky got up from his seat, nodding.

He waited as Jess made her way to the end of the bed, wobbling slightly as she stood up. "Um, Bucky—oh, okay there you are." He caught her once the dizziness hit with full force, propping her up by her waist.

"I might need your help," she said, scrunching her face up in embarrassment.

"Yeah," Bucky let out a breathy laugh, adjusting his metal arm around her as she slipped on her sandals and found better footing. "We'll hop off together," he tried, cringing at his own attempt at a joke.

She laughed anyway, wrapping her arm behind his to place a hand over his metal shoulder. "Okay, Bunny Barnes," she said, making her voice dopey and comical. "Let's go."

"Let's go," he repeated, leading the way into the hall.


	11. Chapter 10

_Bunny Barnes?_ If Jess's arms weren't blocked by Bucky's massive arms, she would've slapped herself. Thank God it was just Bucky there to hear that.

Bucky supported her weight easily and, at this point, she was sure he was carrying both their injured asses. He had to lead the way anyways, she had no idea where they were supposed to go. The minds in the hospital had quieted down since she got here which was hopefully a good thing. The only busy one seemed to be Bucky's.

Even when she tried to tune it all out, she could feel it jumping from one thought to another before completely processing the one before.

Even if it didn't matter whether or not all of this was her fault, her arrival seemed to trigger it all. He seemed to reach for excuses a lot and it irked Jess a little. He didn't need to—she wasn't out here looking for sympathy. But she supposed it was better than none at all.

The beeping of the machines filled in the silence of the empty halls as they limped past the other rooms. Some of the people in here were inhumans—that much she could tell. Hopefully some of the friendlier ones, or at least the ones that seemed to respond more pleasantly to her and Rex. Did they even see her? Is that why they would look at her funny sometimes?

"Hey," Bucky said softly beside her, trying to catch her eye as he tilted his head. Jess looked up at him briefly and stopped a step after him. "Right outside these doors."

Jess looked uneasily at them. Well, there's probably no going back now.

"You know, you don't have to," Bucky said, letting all of her weight relax onto him. Even with the bulky vest on, he felt so damn soft.

"Yeah," Jess nodded. "But maybe they'll get some answers." It was dangerous to think, to hope, for even the smallest chance of getting rid of her powers. She's already made that mistake. But maybe understanding them, not just controlling them, will help keep her from trouble. She might as well get something useful out of this mess she made.

"Mostly, it's Shuri," Bucky muttered, pressing his hand beside the doors. They swung open, revealing a small room. It kept up the silver and black aesthetics of her hospital room with markings similar to the ones on Bucky's necklace glowing across the walls on either side. The glass doors across the room let in the morning light and Jess could see a woman standing tall on the outside. Her head tilted up and her expression hardened at the pair of them.

Jess glanced at Bucky briefly and he only nodded at the woman, his lips pursing as he regarded her uneasily. She couldn't blame him. Even with his big, moody muscleness and her mind magic stuff, Jess had a dreadful feeling the woman can take both of them on given the right motivation.

Looking ahead, but not daring to maintain eye contact, Jess hopped along to the glass doors and sucked in an anxious breath as they slid open. The woman nodded to her without a word, her eyeliner sharpening her already harsh gaze.

Jess had an overwhelming urge to bow—out of straight up respect for such a formidable looking woman, but thought better. Instead, she opted for a nervous smile.

She did not return it.

"Jessabell Mendoza," the woman said, her voice softer than Jess expected. She lifted her arm and Jess flinched instinctively, muttering an apology when she raised a brow. "I am Aneka," she introduced herself. "I don't bite."

Aneka's mouth twitched up into a smirk and Jess felt Bucky relax beside her before she did herself. She didn't how wide her eyes had gone until now. She also didn't realize how tightly she had been clinging on to Bucky. As Jess tried to slowly put at least an inch between them, Aneka turned her attention to him.

"Barnes," she huffed at him, extending her arm between them. Jess took the opportunity and released her hold on Bucky completely, accepting her crutch instead. She missed the cool touch of his the moment she let go. It felt nice on her newly formed skin. But no, the sooner she shakes this feeling—or feelings really, there was a lot happening all at once with him—the better. Holding onto him was definitely not helping.

"I believe you will be joining us?" Aneka said, placing a hand over Jess's arm as she turned on her heel. Jess missed that quiet whirring under her hand.

 _No, shut it, shut up!_

"Yeah, Shuri's got something for me," Bucky said, behind them. He's gone a bit quiet, even for him, and Jess wanted to steal a glance back, but chose to focus on the steps she needed to take instead.

"Ah yes, it does concern me if her highness ever gets any sleep—never stops with the upgrades nowadays," Aneka answered. Her highness? Shuri's the princess?

She led them to a staircase and Jess took another step to see what it led down to. Below, was a jet parked on a small runway overlooking a forest of green. It looked much denser than the area around the Avengers' home, but Jess recognized the same jagged peaks in the distance.

"Can you take the steps, Jessabell? Or shall I carry you?" Aneka asked, her tone becoming a bit more teasing with her second offer. Jess only let out a hushed laugh, placing a foot on the first step. She took them one at a time, but Aneka pretty much carried her the rest of the descent.

Bucky stayed behind them the rest of the way, making small talk with Aneka. Jess only half listened, nodding and making affirmative noises as Bucky recounted what happened the day before.

Once they reached the butt of the jet, Aneka lifted her arm and pointed a fist at it. The beads around her wrist—just like the one in her sack, but smaller—lit up and some of the inscriptions glowed a dark indigo. Jess jumped at the sound of the jet's rear opening and heard Aneka huff beside her. She limped up the steep incline and murmured her thank you to Aneka when they stopped at a bench.

"Why, Barnes, I never thought I'd meet someone quieter than you," Aneka murmured over her shoulder before taking the seat at the controls. Jess glanced up at Bucky and saw a frown flash across his face.

He looked at Aneka briefly and muttered, "You'd be surprised." Jess rolled her eyes at him. Okay, she only really got too rambly when she was nervous. Which was happening a lot lately. Mostly because of the person standing right in front of her.

Jess scooted over anyway, leaning on the wall as the jet took off from the runway.

Bucky sat next to her quietly, leaning on his knees as he wrung his hands in front of him. She didn't want to move from her place—the wall behind her was so nice and cold—so she stretched her leg and nudged Bucky's leg with her toe.

Bucky stared at her foot first before slowly leaning back and casting his eyes down to her. Jess tilted her head to the side, crossing her arms. She wanted to talk and get her mind off of her uncertainty about going to the lab, but it was so damn quiet. Aneka would probably listen in to their conversation. Not that they'd talk about anything questionable—she's got other topics of conversation other than deep, emotional talk. But talking with Bucky now made her so aware of herself. Not in a bad way with him, but she didn't really want anyone else listening in too much.

This was weird. That thought process was not normal. They're totally chill with each other! Just casual talk between acquaintances—nothing to see here, mind your own damn business!

"Shuri, we have arrived, hangar access, please," she heard Aneka say. Jess pushed herself off the wall, craning her neck to see Aneka's hands stretched out in front of her. The light wrapped around her arms lit up green as Shuri must have granted access. She sat crosslegged, relaxed in her place as she piloted the jet with her arms. Jess really had no idea how far Wakandan technology has reached and she was about to find out.

She only really agreed to come in to check it all out—and she was curious about the girl in the bead. That must be Shuri then. She seems too young to be running what Jess assumes to probably be complex experiments on her. But she was totally rocking those Leia buns.

The jet glided into the hangar without difficulty, landing softly without a bump thanks to Aneka's careful, precise arms. As the rear opened again, Bucky offered his arm to her and Jess slid into it without really thinking.

"I will see you tomorrow, then," Aneka called to them, still sitting in her place. She turned to Jess and—even with her harsh eyes—her mouth twitched up into another smirk. "Hopefully, you won't be as quiet then, eh?"

Jess looked at Bucky questioningly and he avoided her gaze, looking towards the open deck. "See you?" Jess gave Aneka a wave before Bucky gave her a soft tug and they went down the jet's steep ramp.

"There's a—uh—a party," Bucky murmured, guiding her carefully into an arched building.

"A party? That seems a little too soon." Not that she wouldn't want to go. She found that socialization not preceded by a fight is pretty nice. Plus, a party before heading back home would probably put her in better spirits.

"Yeah, I'm not too excited about it," Bucky muttered, glancing behind him as the jet took off. It caused a light breeze that blew the hair out of his face. Damn, his eyelashes were annoyingly long.

"What is it?" His eyes flashed to hers, trapping her in a stare.

Jess could feel her cheeks warm up again, but she couldn't really look away right now—that would be rude right?

"Are your eyes blue or grey? It's very confusing," she managed to ask, scrunching up her nose as a weird reflex. She really needed to stop doing that. Her Ma said it made her nose wider and her nostrils flare which probably wasn't at all attractive. Not that she needed to look attractive—that's stupid, Bucky has seen her at her worst anyway. Not that that mattered either!

Jesus Christ, was it fair for such a pretty face to have such nice lips, too?

"Oi! Stop it with the intense gazing—this is a PG lab, limit yourselves!" Shuri shouted, tearing Jess's eyes from Bucky.

Shuri had her arms crossed and she looked kinda annoyed with her brow raised that way. Her hair was still in those impressively tight Leia buns and Jess noticed her dress was fashioned after the princess's flowing white robes. She couldn't help but smile widely at her.

"Your highness," Jess curtsied as well as she could as she held onto Bucky. She nodded at her outfit appreciatively. "Cool Leia cosplay."

"Yes!" Shuri clapped her hands together and sprung enthusiastically into the air, beaming up at the sky. "Finally! Someone who gets it!"

Jess laughed, now tugging Bucky forward to meet Shuri properly at the entrance. "It was the buns," Jess indicated at her own bunless head. She hasn't done her hair in a while. Maybe she'll dress up a little—Wanda's closet is really in for it this time—for this party. God knows she hasn't done _that_ in a while.

"Did them myself," she said, patting her hair proudly. "Of course, this one is too busy now to do it for me." It took a second for Jess to realize she was talking about Bucky.

She looked up at him and his face turned in a frown. You know that poetic look of betrayal and embarrassment when your friend exposes you in front of other people? Imagine that on a scruffy, six foot five (she's approximating) guy with a metal arm. Reassuring, isn't it?

"I've been told I have delicate hands," Bucky muttered, his arms flexing in response.

Jess smiled up at him before shrugging at Shuri. "I always wondered how he got his hair perfectly up in that man-bun." She and Shuri shared a laugh—to Bucky's annoyance— before Shuri led the way inside.

The lab had been cut out of a cliff—that much Jess could tell from the outside. As crude as the digging appeared from the bumpy rock walls, the structure inside was the complete opposite. As Shuri led them down a marble ramp, Jess admired the sleek aesthetic of the lab. Colorful art—faces of monkeys and cats—adorned the center wall of the spiral. Pulsing blue metal branched across the rock walls like veins, looking as if it kept the vibrant lab alive.

As they came to a pause at the foot of the ramp, Jess saw that Shuri did not joke around with her equipment either. Her gadgetry lay on every flat surface of the lab—several projects in the process of assembly or upgrade.

Jess gave a small smile to a woman who pulled up a stool for her. The woman had rows of bumps along her cheeks within her flesh, sharpening the edge of her cheekbones. She flitted off quickly behind a clunky looking device without a word.

Jess made herself comfortable on the stool before letting go of Bucky's arm. He stepped back behind her and leaned against the table before addressing Shuri.

"She doesn't have to go through with anything—Shuri, you need to tell her that—from you." Bucky spoke softly, but firmly. Jess watched as Shuri picked up and put down random devices on her worktables as she searched for something. As much as she looked like she had her shit together, Jess could sense Shuri being on edge and constantly. Something within her seemed exhausted, but something even stronger pushed her to keep going.

"Yes, yes, you obviously don't have to go through the tests—Honestly, just observing your powers would be good enough along with a little DNA sample and we've got plenty of that," Shuri called from under a table.

"Sorry, plenty?" Jess asked, straining her neck to see past the buns that peeked over the top of the table.

"Blood-stained clothes, burnt flesh, the saliva that accumulated on your pillow," Shuri listed off as the sound of strained metal further muffled her voice. Shuri gave a grunt as she pulled on something. "Ha! Got it!" A metal arm, with its black plates lined with gold, came into view and waved.

"Oh, God," Bucky muttered behind her, sounding amused.

"Yes, she sends her regards," Shuri said, pushing herself off the floor and popping up at the corner of the table. "I—however—have something much better." She held the arm up to Bucky as she walked over excitedly, her grin stretching across her face.

Jess turned in her stool to face them both.

"Shuri—you didn't have to," Bucky mumbled through a shy smile. He chuckled as she handed over the arm to him. "Gold?"

"We need to build up your style, Bucky, it's about time we have our friendly neighborhood grandpa looking on fleek," Shuri explained, pushing Bucky onto the stool next to Jess. Bucky huffed, but that damn smile refused to go away as he admired it. Before Jess could look away and save herself, Bucky turned to her and raised a brow, nodding at the new arm.

Jess laughed before biting down on her lip—stopping herself from letting out a ridiculous giggle she felt in her chest. "Very much on fleek," she nodded before turning her gaze to the thingy beside her. It looked to be of the same metal as Bucky's new arm and it gave a reverberating ting when Jess tapped against it with a fingernail.

"So, how long will you be staying with us, Jessabell?" Shuri asked, taking the arm from Bucky's hand. She placed it on the table, letting it drop loudly as she struggled to reach for a toolkit on the other end of the surface.

"Another week or two, maybe, depending on when you'll release me," Jess answered, getting up from her stool and rounding the corner of the table. With her good hand, Jess pushed the kit to Shuri, nodding at her smile of thanks.

"You're welcome to leave when you want, Jessabell, you're not a prisoner here," Shuri said. She plucked a thin screwdriver out of the kit before prodding Bucky with it. "Sleeve up, you know the drill."

Bucky turned to give Shuri a better angle to his metal arm—the one still attached to him—making him face Jess too. Right because that's exactly why she moved places in the first place.

"Yeah, I know," Jess replied, casting her eyes down to avoid Bucky's gaze. She spotted a coil of metal in her periphery and reached for it—something to occupy her hands and eyes.

"Something keeping you here then?" Shuri asked, pulling up Bucky's sleeve over his shoulder. Jess froze for a split second—the weird, creeping feeling of being caught coming over her—before she tugged on the end of the coil and began to wrap it around her finger.

"The views mostly," Jess returned. She really hoped they didn't notice her pause.

"Well, the tests—or observations at the very least—shouldn't take long, so if you do decide to go through them, you won't have to stay long," Shuri explained before muttering something else in frustration. In her periphery, Jess could see her struggling to pry off the arm from the edge of Bucky's flesh. Shuri tossed the screwdriver looking tool behind her before crossing her arms. "I guess I'm just too good—I can't get your arm off."

"Try hitting it with the new one," Bucky muttered, rolling his left shoulder like that might somehow help. He ducked Shuri's slap to the back of his head.

"Tempting, white Jesus, but no," Shuri clicked her tongue before looking Jess's way. She felt herself making herself look smaller as she curled the coil around the edge of her finger. "Jessabell, I'll need your hand."

Jess blinked at her before looking at Bucky's shoulder. She slipped the coil off of her finger, still avoiding Bucky's gaze—it didn't matter, he avoided her's too— and mentally preparing herself with a cringe. This was not a big deal, not at all. Shuri just needed a hand and so did Bucky—no, damn it, that's terrible, not funny!

Shuri plopped herself up on the table to make way for Jess. She could hear Bucky's breaths—deep and controlled—as she stopped beside him, staring at the separation between metal and flesh. His scars, harsh at the seam, faded as they reached closer to the nape of his neck.

"Umm, I'm just going to—"

"Go ahead," Bucky mumbled, lifting his shoulder to her. He brushed his hair out of the way with his flesh hand, showing his set jaw and focused eyes. She hesitated, still studying the marks, wondering if she should. Before she could back away, he broke his focus so suddenly he stole back her gaze. "It won't hurt—not anymore."

Jess nodded, clearing the lump that formed in her throat. She wrapped a hand around his muscle, barely touching him.

Shuri adjusted herself on the table and said, "When you hear the click, pull." Jess tightened her hand around the curve of his bicep—his thumb twitched—and readied herself to pull. The arm whirred angrily before she heard the click and yanked hard. The arm—useless without its user—felt heavy in her hand.

"Just throw it in that bin," Shuri ordered, pointing at a crate behind Jess. She walked over and gently placed it inside, curving the fingers into a fist to make it fit. She heard more whirring behind her, but quieter now, and she turned to see Shuri slip the new arm into place. Bucky sighed—the tension leaving his shoulders as he rolled them—before grinning up at Shuri.

"Thank you," he said, almost whispering. He flexed his fingers, the light bouncing off the polished gold strips, before sliding off his stool. Shuri accepted the metal hand to help her down from the table.

"Of course," Shuri nodded. "Just don't go losing this one." She said the last bit with an edge to her tone—she meant it. Bucky huffed, but nodded in return—earnestly—before heading over to Jess. She scooted to the side as he knelt to pick up his old arm.

"Shuri, can I—?"

"All yours," Shuri replied, not even looking.

Jess looked from the arm to him and back. "What are you going to do?" She asked, hushed and over her shoulder. He shrugged, taking the bin, placing back the arm, and sliding it onto the table she leaned against.

"I—uh—tinker," Bucky muttered. He crossed his arms and she noticed his left shoulder twitch. When Bucky saw her watching, he shook his head. "It's lighter than the last one." Jess nodded, pursing her lips at it before turning to Shuri's direction.

"Guess it's my turn then?" Jess called. Shuri paused—Jess could see her ears literally perk up. She whirled around and grinned at Jess.

"So you'll do it?" Shuri asked, taking a hop forward. She threw the tool in her hand behind her and it landed on the other table with a high clink.

"Sure, I'm always down for the pursuit of knowledge," Jess shrugged. She crossed her arms, a creepy feeling suddenly at the back of her mind. "This is purely for knowledge purposes right?" She blinked and looked up at Bucky and found him already gazing down at her. Oh, boy.

"Under her? Yes," he reassured. Something in his expression shifted though, making Jess gulp at the way his eyes, dark under the shadow of his hair, looked down at her. He turned so that he blocked Shuri from view and Jess had to tilt her head up as she leaned against the table behind her. "If you don't want to," Bucky started, softly so only she can hear.

Jess shook her head, ignoring the way he towered over her but looked so soft at the same time. "I want to," she nodded, a smile twitching at the corner of her lips. "I just want to make sure it won't be used against people like me." Bucky sighed, his eyes darting down to her hands. She only noticed now how one wrapped around the other so tightly. It wasn't even about the tests.

"I'll stay," he offered, still staring at her hands—which suddenly felt very hot. "If you want me to."

Jess let out a breath, the smile finally betraying her. "Yeah, that'd be nice." She let her hands fall beside her, pushing herself off the table as Bucky moved to the side. Shuri still stood there, but now she stared at Bucky—looking a little confused. Jess guessed that look did not cross her face often.

"Are we still good, then?" Shuri asked, pointing at Jess even as she studied Bucky.

"I'm ready," Jess nodded, focusing on Shuri and her twisting face rather than the six foot five enigma beside her. Shuri snapped herself out of it with a shake of her head, her excitement unwavering.

"Yes! Come with me." She waved a hand and headed for the staircase. Jess hurried behind—well, as fast as she could, Shuri was definitely much fitter leg-wise than she was. Bucky followed behind her, taking his time, probably used to Shuri and her science-induced frenzy.

She stopped at a pool filled with black sand, the same grains that shot out of the bead from before. It was about the right size to fit a person and Jess stopped, already knowing what she had to do. It couldn't be that deep, right?

"Shoes off, get in," Shuri ordered, tilting her head to the pool. Jess took in a breath. They wouldn't have her do anything that would purposely kill her—there's been no signs of that possibly happening since she's come here. Bucky—whose known the absolute worst torture—trusted Shuri who seems like an altruistic genius. And the Leia buns—damn, no one has pulled them off since the princess/general herself.

"What is this stuff anyways?" Jess asked, slipping off her sandals. She bent down and touched the grains, letting them slip through her fingers. Either she was still half-delirious from the past day or she was on her way to really losing it because she could have sworn the sand vibrated under her hand.

"Vibranium." Ah. Bucky announced his arrival behind her, his steps making the grains pulse inside the pool.

"At its purest, but don't worry, it's safe," Shuri said as she plopped down and crossed her legs to sit next to her. She grabbed a handful and copied Jess's movements but with less caution. "Ready then, Jessabell?"

Jess sighed, letting the last grain fall to the pool before nodding. "Let's do this," she muttered, sitting on her bottom and slipping her feet into the vibranium pool. The cold made her jump a little, but her toe found the bottom, reassuring her she won't drown in this thing.

It wasn't too deep. It would probably have gone halfway up to her knee if she was standing.

"You should lay down," Bucky said behind her. "The scan will run shorter." Right. He must have done this a few times.

She followed his advice, pulling her legs out and sliding herself over the pool instead. She didn't slip in as much this time, but she felt her arms start to shake as she held her torso up and out of the pool.

"Ah, fuck," she muttered under breath, suddenly very much aware of the nerves that had crept up earlier. Only this time, they were very much of the doctor's-office-well-we-haven't-seen-you-in-years kind of nerves. She closed her eyes and let out a shaky laugh at the ridiculousness of her feelings. She'll go up against a Nazi inhuman, but she can't handle this?

"Breathe, Jess," she heard Bucky—who sounds much, much closer now—beside her. Somehow, despite the comfort she found in his voice, his physical closeness was not helping. If anything, she felt much more aware of her shakiness.

"Right, breathe, relax, got it," she nodded through another shaky breath. She leaned back, flinching at the strain in her core, and supported herself by her elbows. Jess sucked in a final breath—no not final, not last either, just one more for the foreseeable future—before lowering herself fully into the pool.

As soon as her head hit the sand, the grains came to life, almost solidifying under her to support all her weight. Jess—her eyes closed tight—heard a click under her and suddenly her stomach lurched as she went—or at least felt herself go—completely weightless. All she could feel were the tiny spots of vibration wrapping around her body making her go rigid.

Shuri's voice came somewhere from her right. Or was it left? What even is direction anymore—there was so much going on right now. "Jessabell it's better if you relax, it'll go much quicker—"

"Mmph, relax, how exactly—Oh! Shit!" Well, that _was_ what this whole thing is for. Suddenly her mind felt heavy, pulsing along with the sand, the noise threatening to spill over if she let herself go. It still felt muffled—Wanda's training really was paying off—but she didn't know how much longer she could keep it out. And with that _asshole_ still out there—locked up and shut up via Wakanda tech Wanda had reassured, but still alive—Jess did not want to lose control.

"Bucky," she said through gritted teeth, "Bucky, talk."

"I—what—"

"Just say words," Jess ordered. "Need. To. Focus."

"I'm—uh—I don't—"

"Tell her about the hut," Shuri suggested. Oh, God, somehow the pulses amplified, she could feel and hear the blood rushing to her head. "Unless, you already have, Bucky, what is up with you and—"

"Ah, fuck!" Jess shouted now, her hands balling up into tight fists. This didn't help, the grains only pushed harder.

"The hut—I—uh—stayed in a hut—a village close to the border tribe," Bucky began, his tone choppy and nervous. "The families took care of me after Shuri fixed me up—"

"You're welcome by the way."

"Yeah, thank you, they took care of me, housed me, fed me," he continued. A real illustrative storyteller this one! "The hut overlooked a lake. It went into the horizon. The kids tried to make me take a swim in it until the mothers said it had mamlambo—these sea creatures—"

"Harmless really, but they've never seen a white man—"

"Yeah, that's what the oldest kid said later—"

Jess let out a snort, trying to laugh, but the voices still pushed, frantic to get inside. They wanted to get inside? That doesn't make any sense, they shouldn't be aware like that—

"I will be honest, Bucky, I may have put them up to it—"

"What—hold on—was the goat swarm you, too?"

Oh, if he wanted a swarm, he should check out her head right now.

"Possibly."

"Shuri—"

"Okay, but you did get Adam, T'Phira, and Kevin out of that experience."

"I never named them—"

"Ha, Kevin the goat," Jess muttered, trying to imagine a goat named Kevin through the chaos in her head. She was failing. "Keep going, for the love of God, keep talking."

"Uh, well, I lived with them for a while until Shuri cleared me to join the others. Steve, Sam, and Nat—"

Nat. Whose Nat? The memory of the eyebrow lady flashed against the onslaught of the voices and Jess flinched. No, not at the monstrosity of what hung around above her eyes, just the idea of her really.

"—they were out for a while, so it was just me, Clint, Wanda, and Scott for a while until Sam and Steve came back."

"Where—ugh—where were they?" Jess asked, getting a firmer hold against the noise. She could feel them trying to get around her mental defenses, but she stood her ground, unrelenting now.

"Negotiations, probably some side missions—"

"Oh definitely side missions—I pulled them out of some serious shit in Bangladesh, it was awesome."

"You never left, how did you—?"

"Power of my mind," Shuri said confidently. "And vibranium, but this is just metal without me—Oh and you're almost done Jessabell—just metal without the _power_ of _my mind_." Oh, great, awesome, too bad the noise won't quit. Again, she might really be losing it, but it felt desperate now? Why would these random consciousnesses knowingly want to get her attention? It's impossible, it might just be a reflection of her own desperation for the sensation to end.

"Jess, almost over," Bucky whispered beside her. Her eyes were still shut, but something inside her wanted to see his face.

Nah, then she'd definitely lose it.

"Kevin the goat, Kevin the goat," Jess kept muttering against the strain in her head. As the pulsing started to subside, her will started to muffle the noise more, blocking out their individual voices one by one until final—as soon as the vibranium stopped pulsing—silence.

Another click and Jess felt the grains lower her body to rest with her weight in the pool. Her skin felt raw and her mind numb from the waves that came like an aggressive psychic massage. Jess let out a heavy sigh, her palms going up to massage her temples.

A yawn came over her too, a sudden exhaustion taking over her body like never before.

"Good news, you're done for the day, Jess," Shuri said somewhere above her. Jess nodded, groaning lightly as she opened her eyes, glaring angrily at the white light of the lab. "I will keep you updated with what I find—though I'm sure you know more than me."

"Nah, you'll probably come up with answers to questions I haven't even thought of," Jess chuckled, stopping her massages to try and sit up on her elbows.

"Not so fast," Bucky muttered beside her and she felt his hand catch her back. He let go as soon as her hands found balance against the sand. Hmph, disappointment.

"Help me up?" Jess asked, blinking at the floor as she still adjusted to feeling weight and light and basic human sensing of physics all over again. She took the hand that Bucky offered and stood up in the pool. As she suspected, the sand reach up to right under her knee. She struggled a bit getting out like she usually did with a water pool, but Bucky pretty much pulled her out.

Jess turned to Shuri—her hand still wrapped around Bucky's—and said, "Make sure this is for something good, will you?" Shuri blinked at the hologram she had been tapping at before looking at Jess straight in the eye.

"But, you see, I plan to make a giant super brain—"

"Shuri, Jesus—"

"I'm joking!" Shuri's expression shifted, looking more serious now, and she waved off the figure that popped up in front of her. "I would never weaponize a human being, no matter who they are, you can trust me on that."

Jess nodded slowly before waving and saying, "Well, see you later, your Majesty."

"Oh no, please! Not there yet—and never will be if my evil plan goes well!" Shuri gave a wicked grin before turning her attention back to her hologram. Her expression shifted again, but to one of extreme focus, so Jess knew that was her goodbye. Oh shit, she was still holding onto Bucky's hand.

She pulled hers away quickly, hiding it under the palm of the other as she muttered a sorry. Bucky cleared his throat and motioned for her to head out first. She went down the steps slowly and admired the lab's aesthetics again as Bucky went back to grab his old arm.

Jess waited at the top of the next flight for him, yawning again. "So who's taking us back to the bunker?"

Bucky made his way over, the old arm getting tossed around in the bin. "Huh, good question."

"Should I get an Uber?"


	12. Chapter 11

"There's not enough of an eyelid for that—"

"Shut up, I know what I'm doing."

"Consider this: You hate me and I don't trust you—Ow!"

Clint jabbed the brush into Jess's eye socket with a growl. She could feel the heavy layers of make-up on her face as she sat at Clint's desk, sulking and annoyed. Wanda said Clint's the best make-up artist around and made him do Jess's as she went off to a meeting.

"Where did you learn how to do all this?"

Clint snorted. "The circus."

"Wha—Clint!"

"Relax, I'm returning a favor."

Jess scoffed, opening her other eye—heavy with mascara—to look up at him. "Oh, please, you don't owe me."

"Well, now I can get back to my kids alive and breathing—"

"And a broken leg."

"They've seen worse," Clint's pinky smoothed right above her eyelashes, making her eyelid twitch instinctively.

"It's my fault," Jess mumbled, pulling away to look at him sincerely. Clint sighed, throwing the brush to his desk and looking her in the eye.

"Yep," he said simply. Jess blinked at him, expecting him to say more, but he only crossed his arms in response.

"What, no scolding, no sarcasm, nothing?" She paused, looking disbelieving. "Don't tell me you feel bad."

"I won't," he nodded, leaning against the foot of his bed. "But I will tell you that you just have to decide to keep going."

"What?"

Clint groaned, rubbing his temple with the palm of his hand. "Just move on—sure, sulk a little, that's healthy, don't suppress anything. Just make better choices next time." When Jess blinked at him, he shrugged. "You're not the only person here who came from a sketchy place."

Jess sighed, flipping her hair back in front of her shoulders. She ran her fingers through the soft waves Clint magically curled earlier. "Thanks—for this and for the words." Clint nodded and gestured for her to stand.

"Alright, out, I need to put a suit on," he ordered, pushing her to the door. Jess hurried on her tiptoes, afraid the heels of Wanda's pumps will break with a wrong step. She waved and gave Clint a half-smile before closing the door behind her. He wasn't so bad. Maybe she should force him into life-threatening situations more often. Apparently it was a mood booster.

Their temporary bunker was much smaller than good-ole Bunker Five, so Jess got to her and Wanda's room quick. Sam and Bucky's room was right next door, while Steve stayed at the end of the hall. Scott roomed with Clint, but decided to set up camp in the living room after Clint kept kicking him off the bed.

Sam had suggested that he go "Tic-Tac"—Jess didn't know what that meant—to which Scott flipped him off and marched away to make "stress waffles" at 3 in the morning. The ex-Avengers were really weird, Jess appreciated that. At least now she was on friendly terms with everyone, even Clint. Sucked that she only had about two days to soak it all up.

"Hey, Jess! You're looking good!" Sam shouted as she approached her door. He draped a yellow slip over his shoulders, patting it over his chest. Jess grinned, turning a 360 to show off her outfit. "Not bad, huh?"

Sam nodded approvingly before shooting a look inside his room. _Oh shit._ "Yo, pretty boy! Get over here!" _Confirmed, oh shit._

Jess quickened her step and just finally reached the door, ready to push it open when—lo and behold—"pretty boy" popped his head out their door.

"Uh, hi," Bucky waved, the corner of his lips turning up. Jess caught his eyes and they looked as if they were refocusing, trying their best not to look anywhere below her eye level. He really looked like he wanted to shit himself.

"Hi," Jess repeated back, her face suddenly getting hot and her legs getting all flubby and why is the door handle so slippery all of a sudden? Bucky visibly swallowed a lump in his throat as he focused way too much on her eye level. Good, maybe he won't notice how red half her face has gotten.

"Well—" they started together—earning a brow raise from Tweety behind him. What is up with this house and its people's shit-eating grins? She got one from Wanda the minute she walked into their room the night before. _Oh boy,_ the night before.

"Listen—" Jess tried before Bucky cleared his throat lightly.

"I gotta—the tie or bow tie—haven't decided—it's—it's important?" He started to scratch the nape of his neck with his metal hand.

"Oh right! Well, I'll leave you two to it," Jess nodded, making finger guns with her clammy hands. _Oh boy, stop._ Jess made fists in annoyance with herself before settling on a thumbs up. "Okay! I'll see you later!" The "later" part was a bit too high pitched for comfort, but fuck it she already lost it all at the finger guns.

Sam returned the thumbs up with a bigger grin than before and Jess gave one last nervous laugh as she shoved all her weight against the bedroom door. _Oh shit, oh lord, oh God._

The sunset streamed through the blinds, lighting their room dimly in soft, orange streaks. She couldn't bear another moment in the pumps and she kicked them off to the foot of Wanda's bed before slumping against the wall. She needed to keep it together. She's not staying here—there is no future here. Her future is back home with her mother. Sure the village was shitty, but it's not like she wanted to spend time outside with other people who sucked.

All she needed was her mom and the house and the land and she'll be fine.

Fine because fine is all that she needs right now—fine is way better than what she had not a month ago.

And yet, here, she got more than fine. She got a better understanding and acceptance of her powers, friends, pretty views, awesome 3AM stress waffles, the list went on. But no—no matter what—her Ma was still out there and hopefully—as selfish as it might sound— still waiting.

At least now, she'll come back different. She'll come back with control. She'll come back with better understanding. Maybe the hysteria has died down—maybe they forgot about the things that happened around her. Maybe she can show her face around without fear or shame.

 _Oh for fuck's sake don't spiral right now. Not before a party!_ Wanda said it was more of a get together to send everyone off while everyone was still here. Technically, Jess is the first to go, but she highly doubts that the get together has anything to do with her.

Wanda had considered—or at least politely pretended to—going with her back home. She said she wouldn't do so well in such a hot and humid climate. She already had enough of that here.

The offer still stood for the others—except maybe not Clint, they were not there yet. Apparently, Nat—who normally did not look like that according to Sam—had some safe houses set up all over the islands already. She even offered to open one to Jess, a gesture she did not expect from her considering their first impressions from the day before.

Breakfast today was a real wild ride.

Mainly because of Bucky.

* * *

"Bucky—the hell did you do?"

"What do you mean?" Bucky tossed the rag over his shoulder, scrubbing at the compote stuck in the last dirty pan.

Sam started to put away the dishes he dried, narrowing his eyes at Bucky. "The hell happened between you and Jess?"

Bucky shrugged. The scrub was not doing its job so he tossed it to the side. His vibranium finger is going to have to do. "We went to see Shuri and came back here that's all."

"Alright, then what happened specifically to get _her_ to look like _that_?"

"Nat makes her nervous—"

"Bullshit. Okay, sure, but she looked more embarrassed than nervous," Sam pressed, slamming the cabinet door. In his periphery, Bucky saw him wrap his towel around his hand and raise his fist. Bucky caught the towel before it could whack his head. Sam sighed, yanking it back, before going back to drying the next set. "Out with it, Buckaroo."

"I—she—we—fuck," Bucky stuttered.

" _Fuck?_ " Sam gasped, his eyes going wide.

"No! No, no, shit no!" Bucky dropped the pan he was scrubbing, sending dish water all over the counter. "Shit, sorry." He started wiping down the mess, muttering curses to himself.

"Damn, Bucky, I didn't know you were even capable—"

"Ah, shut up," Bucky growled. He ran the faucet at full blast to clean the rag, muttering some more. He heard Sam sigh next to him, so he huffed and shot him a look. "What?"

"Would it really be so bad?" Sam asked, not looking up from the coffee cup he was cleaning. The question wasn't so vague to Bucky.

"Yeah, it would," Bucky muttered. "She leaves in two days. It wouldn't work even if she did."

"You're a real dumbass, Bucky, you know that?" Sam almost slammed the cup to the counter to set it down. He turned and crossed his arms, leaning against the countertop to look at Bucky properly. "She does, God knows why and how, but she does. You got a chance to go with it, but you're standing here—being a dumbass as usual—and denying yourself of it."

"Shut up, Sam," Bucky said, his grip against the pan handle tightening. He gave up on getting the compote out.

"Nah, Buckaroo, you—you stop beating yourself up and denying yourself of—No, I'm gonna talk," he pointed a finger at Bucky when he tried to interrupt. "You say you know it wasn't your fault and maybe you do, but you still try to punish yourself for it. Your whole thing about joining missions? Bucky, you were content, functioning, and productive without them." He lowered his finger when Bucky's face fell. "Okay, just, Bucky, you can at least let good things come into your life, give it a chance."

Bucky dropped the pan he gripped so tightly, wincing at the indent his metal fingers had left. "But she deserves better," he muttered, his voice cracking as he looked apologetically at Sam. Bucky wiped his hands on his rag before tossing it into the trash bin and walking out of the kitchen.

* * *

There was a knock at the door. "Jess? Ready to come down?" Wanda's muffled voice asked. Jess sucked in a breath, her palms going to her eyes to wipe them before she thought better.

"Yeah, just a sec!" She sat up on Wanda's bed and slipped the pumps back on. She gave her hair a quick ruffle at the back before going to the door. Well, at least there'll be food to stuff herself with.

She pulled the door open and Wanda stood on the other side, a smile forming as they greeted each other. "God, you're gorgeous," Jess said, her hand going up into the air in amazement. Wanda had on a beautiful, flowing red dress with her hair up in a messy bun.

"Didn't have much time," she shrugged. She offered her arm to Jess and she took it before they made their way down the hall. "The meeting ran very long."

"Is that good or bad?" Jess asked, following Wanda as she led them down the staircase.

"Both," she said, tilting her head with a frown. "I think I will get to go to Scotland, but not permanently, and not always alone."

"Oh," Jess nodded, trying her best to keep their locked arms in place as they descended the steps. "But that's good, you'll at least stay with your friend, right?"

"We'll try our best," she smiled up at her weakly. Jess leaned the side of her head against Wanda's as she squeezed her arm lightly.

"I'm sure it'll work out," Jess tried to reassure. The light hum of conversations drifted into the lobby from the common space. Jess could see people's shadows cross the doorway.

Wanda tugged Jess forward, but with less eagerness than before. They both stopped at the door and Jess flinched as they almost ran into someone.

"Hey, Jess," Steve smiled down at her. "I'm just stepping out for a bit, I'd go for the pastries now before Clint finishes them all."

"Oh, yeah, not if I can help it," Jess raised a brow, fully intending to steal the plate from the arrow guy's bare hands.

Wanda groaned next to her and Jess found her staring at Sam, Nat, and a tall, bearded man in a coat Jess hasn't seen before. "I see they brought work to home," Wanda muttered to Steve under her breath.

"That's why I'm stepping out," Steve shrugged. He nodded at the two of them before slipping out of the door. Jess watched him take a swig of his drink as he walked away before turning her attention back to the room. She didn't notice it, but Steve had blocked about half the room from her view, so, once she turned, she managed to lock eyes with Bucky who sulked at the corner alone.

 _Oh boy_.

Jess—after trying to make her jump look like the fault of the unstable pumps—gave him a small wave before turning to Wanda. "I think I need a drink," she said to her quietly.

Wanda raised a brow at her before looking off into the corner too. The knowing look she gave to Jess after nodding at the sulking rock in the corner made her want to jump at least the height of Bunker Five's rooftop, but unfortunately they pretty much leveled the building once the fire took over.

"Meet and greet, then drinks," Wanda promised, towing Jess over to the trio in deep discussion. Sam looked up first, his frown going soft as they came over. He gave a wave and Nat and the man looked up to greet them with a nod.

"T'Challa," Sam referred to the man beside him who stood and stuck his hand out for Jess to shake. He had a really firm one. "This is Jessabell Mendoza."

"Ah, at last," T'Challa nodded, his voice deep and firm. "I trust my people have made you feel welcome here."

"People—?" Jess asked, before noticing Sam mimicking putting a hat on his head.

" _Jess, that's King T'Challa."_

 _Oh shit._ "Yes! Thank you," Jess looked him up and down before bending to curtsy. "Thank you for everything," she said, her face getting warm. _Shit, how could she have not known?_ "Your sister is amazing."

"Yes, she likes to let everyone know that," T'Challa nodded, a surprisingly soft and bright smile forming on his face. "If you'll excuse us," he tilted his head at Sam and Nat, who smirked at Jess. Jeez, these people go on about debriefs; they could have at least given her a thirty second one. Like, hey Jess! This get together is more formal than that cocktail dress you've got on! There's going to be like five people so there's nowhere to hide and—by the way! The king of Wakanda will join us, too!

"Of course," Wanda answered for her as Jess continued to reel from the sight of the king. She tugged her deadweight away as she tried to curtsy again, getting a bigger smirk from Nat. "Drink, now?" Wanda whispered in her ear as they headed for the bar.

"I'm going to need like three," Jess muttered, eyeing the shiny bottle of brown liquid at the top shelf. She's never tried whiskey or rum before. Tonight seemed like a good night to get started.

Scott, Clint, and Aneka sat at the bar, passing the plates of food between them in between shots of either vodka or tequila. Jess really didn't know—all alcohol smelled and looked the same.

"Wanda! Heh, Wanda look," Clint tilted his head and placed a shot glass filled to the brim on his nose. He balanced it well enough, leaning back and forth as he caught it before it could slip.

"I hate him," Wanda frowned, shaking her head before grabbing a tart from Scott's plate. Jess smiled at Aneka who offered her a plate of stew.

"You look like you can't handle a drink," Aneka observed, placing the food in her freed hands as Wanda went off to pour herself a shot. "How about you eat first, then I'll make you a drink." Jess nodded, she was right. College her would have taken on the challenge and would have definitely lost. At least post-grad her knows better.

With all the seats taken up at the bar and Clint's shot glass threatening to spill liquor everywhere, Jess backed away from the bar. The couch was already taken up by the negotiators, so her only other option was the other side of the room. Jess saw Bucky had pulled out a book from the bookcase he sat next to. He flipped through it a little too quickly, but hey, maybe it had more pictures than she thought.

Jess sighed against her mouthful of stew and made her way over to him, focusing on the armchair next to his. He didn't look up as she sat down.

"Uh, hi," Jess greeted, pushing some of the rice on her plate to the side.

Bucky looked up briefly, not meeting her eyes, and replied with the same words.

"I suck at parties," Jess went on to fill the silence. Damn, were they back to square one?

"You?" He asked, flipping a page and sounding disbelieving.

"Well, yes," Jess laughed. "Did you not see me and the king over there? I had no idea."

"I wasn't paying attention." _Oh_ _ **boy**_ _._

"Right," Jess laughed again, shaking her head. "Why would you be?" She sat there eating her stew, not quite enjoying it even though it made her stomach and taste buds so happy. She caught Wanda's wandering eye—though it looked a little too wandering to actually be wandering—and she frowned. Wanda probably knew at this point, she was way more liberal with her powers than Jess was.

" _Oh go on, Jess, have patience."_

Jess sighed, dropping the plate on the lamp stand between them with a clang. No one looked up, thankfully, but it did get Bucky's attention. "Hey, do you know where I can get some fresh air?"

"Outside."

"Bucky, I'm saying let's go get some fresh air."

"It'd be rude to leave," he said, looking at the others.

"I don't think they'll miss us," Jess chuckled.

"Fine," he mumbled. _Oh, the enthusiasm._ He slipped the book back into its place and got up. Jess pushed herself off the armchair, muttering a curse as the pumps sent pain up her calves. Half of wanting to leave came from getting the chance to kick these off. She gave a wave to Wanda at the bar before hurrying over to the door to catch up to Bucky.

Jess followed him quietly as he slipped out the front door. Before she stepped out onto the dirt, she pulled off Wanda's pumps and placed them at the foot of the door. It wasn't that cold, the heat of the day lingered in the air and ground. Bucky had paused under the shade of a tree and he nodded at the shoes she left behind.

"They were killing me, I'm better off without them," Jess said, waving off the questioning look on his face. "Alright, where's this fresh air you know of?"

"I heard a stream around here during my run this morning," he said, looking off into the distance like a searching puppy. "You like streams?"

"Sure," Jess shrugged. "Wilderness explorer mode activated." Bucky huffed and started heading away from the house, keeping his pace in line with hers.

"You ditch parties often?"

 _Oh thank god._ So he's not completely deterred by her.

"Only when they're stuffy or too alcoholic—that one managed to have both," Jess shrugged. She kept on her tip toes like somehow keeping the dirt off her heels would make a difference.

"Huh, and here I thought I was anti-social," Bucky said, pushing a fern's arching branch aside to let Jess through.

"I'm not being _anti_ -social, I was just bored, I guess," Jess explained. She picked up a stick from the ground and started to twirl it around her fingers.

Bucky scoffed beside her. "So you decide to leave with the most boring person in the room," he said, trying to sound smooth. Yikes.

Jess rolled her eyes at him. "God, you sound like a complete ass right now." When he frowned at her, she continued. "Bucky, you're neither anti-social or boring, you're just," she shrugged, "quiet and reserved." She groaned, poking the palm of her hand with the stick. "Sorry, you sounded like a fuck boy just now that's all."

"That doesn't sound good."

"Yup, it's not."

"They were talking about what they're going to do with me," Bucky started, getting a little more serious. "That's why Steve left and I went to sit alone."

"Oh," Jess nodded. She settled back into pace with him, a part of her glad he's talking again. "I'm guessing it's not going the way you want."

Bucky shook his head, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his slacks. He looked really handsome—in a different way—dressed up like this.

"No," he mumbled, "the council doesn't want me anywhere near Steve or the others—says historically it's too risky." He let out a harsh, bitter laugh. "T'Challa and his team are trying their best, but it looks like if I want freedom, it has to be without Steve."

Jess stopped in her tracks and Bucky paused a step ahead, turning to her. "That's terrible, that's not fair," she said angrily, shaking her head at the ground. How could they do that, historically too risky? That's crap—they've been with each other for a year now and nothing's happened! Not through a fault of their's.

"Yeah, that's what I thought, too," Bucky chuckled emptily. He took a step back, closing the gap between them. "Let's keep looking?"

"Yeah," Jess answered, walking forward and staring angrily at the ground. "Can't you stay in one place and have him visit at least?"

"Very rarely. It would have to be cleared by the council."

"How is that freedom?"

"It's something."

"Yeah, but, it's still basically house arrest."

"I'll get to go out and do normal things, they'll send me somewhere remote with a new identity," Bucky explained.

Something tugged inside of Jess—an idea—something she already offered in a way, but not so directly and not so explicitly. "The village I'm from is remote," she blurted out without completely processing the thought.

It was Bucky who stopped in his tracks this time. He turned to her quietly, only the rocks and leaves under his feet making a sound. Jess cringed, closing her eyes and slapping herself mentally for opening her mouth.

"They can keep track of you there and at least someone you know would be around," Jess shrugged, still turned the other way.

"You—you wouldn't want that," Bucky said flatly.

Jess shrugged again, opening her eyes and turning to him slowly. "Who said I wouldn't? It would be nice to have a friend."

"My face—I can't show my face."

"You're right, everyone would swoon over you—I'm kidding!" Jess rolled her eyes at Bucky's concerned expression. "I can use my powers—distort people's perception of you. Probably can't hide the fact you're white though, there's only so much I can do."

"Wanda's tricks," Bucky nodded, thinking to himself. At least he was, Jess made sure to keep her mind occupied with anything but thinking this offer through. Oh, she's got a cut on her foot. Hopefully there weren't any diseases here she wasn't vaccinated against. Is that how infections worked? Fuck, who knows, she seemed to get herself screwed over periodically nowadays.

"I don't know, just a thought," Jess shrugged, turning to keep walking.

"Wait," Bucky stopped her, his voice at the softest she's heard. She turned, looking up at him expectantly. "If this happens, would you actually be comfortable with it?"

That is a loaded question with an even heavier, more complicated answer, but ultimately: "Yes," Jess replied, smiling up at him.

"Okay," Bucky nodded.

"Okay?" Jess copied. "You should talk to Steve and the others first—they seem more logical than we do—though he was chugging a lot more alcohol than I'd expect from the Star Spangled Man."

"Yeah, okay," Bucky nodded, turning back to the direction of the house.

"Oh, now?" Jess asked, joining his side as he started the walk back.

"You leave in two days," Bucky said a matter-of-factly. "This might take a while."

* * *

Sam didn't notice Bucky and Jess were gone until Steve came back into the room looking for Tin Man. According to Wanda, they had left to get some fresh air outside. They had been gone a while, but the border tribe would find their bodies quick if something happened to them.

"—he shouldn't be left alone," Steve pressed T'Challa. "Not when he's gotten this far."

"I agree, but the council remains intent on isolating him from the world," T'Challa replied.

The last of the negotiations and it had to be Bucky. The UN really did want to fuck this boy over.

"They might as well put him into a facility with the amount of restraints they're adding to his deal," Steve sighed sadly, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"The best we can do is house him in one of my safe houses. If he has to jump from one to another to keep up with our missions, then we'll make it work," Nat said, crossing her arms. She was so done with these negotiations. Coming here out of her own shadows sure sped up the deals.

"It sounds like the UN just wants Bucky away from the rest of the world, but with a tight leash around his neck," Sam said, shaking his head. "How can we get them to loosen it?"

"Keep him from the public eye, keep him a secret, and keep him out of your missions—at least for now," T'Challa explained simply. "Make sure of that and my people can find ways to ease the restraints."

"She can make that happen," Bucky's voice, out of breath, came from behind them. The room went quiet—save for Scott's light snores—as Bucky stepped into the room with Jess. She looked to them and waved, wide-eyed and with a tight smile across her lips as she heaved next to Bucky.

Sam heard Nat groan beside him.

"Buck, what are you talking about?" Steve set his glass of whiskey on the coffee table as he leaned forward, his shoulders tensed. Man, they were really in for it now.

"Jess's got a place—remote, but on the radar. I'll stay there, stay out of trouble, and lay low until it's all died down," Bucky tried, taking a seat in front of them. He looked back at Jess and motioned for her to come over and sit next to him. She looked like she wanted to be anywhere but.

Nat was the first to protest. "Not to be that person, but you'll stick out like a sore thumb in the middle of a village in the Philippines."

"I can concur," Clint mumbled from the bar behind a closed fist. Dude was way out of it. "And what about your arm?"

"Jess can keep their attention away—it's part of her telepathy," Bucky returned. He looked to Jess for back up—damn, that's new, he never looked to someone else for back up before.

Jess nodded, looking at Sam, then Steve, completely avoiding Nat and T'Challa's cautious expressions. "Well, not really attention. I can distort what they see. If I sense someone's finding something off with him, I can guide their thinking in a different direction—I don't know, make them think about their grocery list instead?"

"And you are sure you can maintain this?" T'Challa asked. _Shit._ He's asking questions. That meant he's actually considering this. To be fair, it did sound better than whatever the hell the UN wanted to chuck Bucky into.

"Like elementary math," Jess shrugged.

"Now that, I can concur to," Wanda piped up from the bar. "Capable of that and much more."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Nat muttered without much effort to keep it quiet. "We don't need that—I've got my hologram masks and I'm sure Shuri's got something we can use to hide his identity." Jess frowned at her as Bucky shot her a look.

"So, you're willing to keep an eye on Bucky?" Steve asked Jess.

She tilted her head, taking a second to think about her answer. "Enough to make sure he's safe," she nodded. Clint huffed loudly, making Wanda smack him lightly in response.

Nat leaned forward and Sam could see her go all Widow. Her jaw set and gaze unblinking, she focused in on Jess. "It won't be easy. He's been through worse than you can ever imagine."

"I know, I'll be there for the lows and the bad," Jess nodded, trying to look as rigid and tough. She tried. "And he and I are a lot stronger than you think." Nat narrowed her eyes, leaning back against the sofa with her stone-cold expression set.

"Samuel," Nat cooed mockingly, nudging his shoulder, "you've been awfully quiet."

Sam shrugged. "It doesn't sound all that bad to me." Bucky raised his brow at him, a look of surprise flashing across his face. "They won't let him stay with any of us, but he shouldn't be left alone either. And these two get along just fine and one of them's got a disguise mechanism better than anything we could come up with."

"Hey," Clint called, "Not to be an ass, but wouldn't the UN be concerned that we're leaving an ex-Hydra prisoner with a recent ex-Hydra not-so-prisoner?"

Aneka scoffed beside him. "As far as the UN knows, Ms. Mendoza was a victim of coercion by inhuman supremacists. Her actions at Bunker Five were noted in detail." Jess nodded to Aneka gratefully to which the Dora returned with a wink.

"Well, there you go, _ass_ ," Sam shrugged to Clint before turning his attention to T'Challa. "What are our odds here?"

"Wait, you're serious?" Nat raised her bleached brow in protest. "This is insane."

"It's the best he's got," Sam reasoned. "And for once, it's something that he wants." Sam looked at Bucky briefly and saw the smile twitch up his mouth. He rolled his eyes at him to make sure he knew his place.

"It is an obscure idea—it will be met with opposition, but Ms. Mendoza is removed enough from your situation for the council to consider it." T'Challa nodded to Steve, his expression serious, but with a glint of hope in his eye. "I will see what I can do."

"Thank you, T'Challa," Bucky murmured, wringing his hands. Jess had stopped avoiding Nat's stare and watched Bucky fidget instead. She looked nervous, but more concerned about the man next to her more than anything else.

T'Challa rose from the sofa, buttoning up his coat as he nodded at everyone rising from their seats. "I will consult with my team then make the calls," he said. He took one look at Bucky and Jess—who both smiled weakly in return—before he left the room even quieter than when the pair entered.

"So, can I whip out the good stuff now that he's gone?" Clint asked the room. Everyone turned to him—either low-key agreeing or looking like they were going to throw something at him. "Alright, Jesus, let's call it a night."

* * *

Jess helped Clint and Wanda drag Scott back into the common area of the bedrooms.

"Can't you just levitate him back?" Jess asked Wanda, huffing at each step up the staircase.

Wanda sighed as she pulled his leg up to waist height. "He said it tickles too much."

Jess and Wanda took the lead as Clint drunkenly did his best keeping Scott's head and torso from being dragged across the floor. They left Bucky and the others behind with Aneka as they waited out an answer from T'Challa. It was going to be a long night.

"You go ahead and go to bed," Jess said to Wanda as they reached the top of the stairs. "I'm going back down for a bit."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Clint grumbled behind them. He lifted Scott's upper half onto the floor and leaned against the railing to catch his breath. "It'll be pretty tense down there."

"Well, yeah, but it would be weird and unsupportive of me to not go, so," Jess shrugged with a frown, half fed up with the antagonizing from Nat and Clint's end. With Clint, she knew she was pretty much okay—that they'll end up on opposing sides one way or another. At least with him they had an understanding of that, but that constant animosity between them would be too exhausting anyways. With Nat, she still had no clue exactly why.

Maybe she can grill Wanda about it later.

" _She doesn't trust you,"_ Wanda explained in her head. Always one step ahead this one. " _It's in her nature. While you didn't give her much reason to to start with, she's just worried about everyone's well-being."_

"Ah, great, a good reason. Part of me thought it had to do with _him_ ," Jess nodded to her.

They brought Scott to his makeshift bed and settled him against his pillows with a single, well-coordinated throw. His snoring only got louder once he snuggled into the couch. Without a word, Clint threw a blanket over Scott and walked away, leaving Jess and Wanda alone.

"Jess," Wanda started in a tone she hadn't heard before. She could hear the uneasiness and caution in it, so Jess sighed as she settled into the chair opposite Scott's couch. "Did you think this through?"

"I'm going to be honest, there was only five minutes between me telling Bucky and Bucky telling you all _and_ I made a point not to, so short answer: nope." Jess cringed, bringing her palms up to cover her eyes as she groaned. "They'll never agree to it will they?"

"No, I'm not concerned about that, I'm concerned if you're actually okay and ready for this." Wanda sat on the floor, crossing her legs. Jess let her hands fall from her face and she met Wanda's gaze.

"Of course I am, I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't," Jess answered. The hint of annoyance in her voice surprised her. They all had their points—even Nat. But they all knew that this was his best chance to keep in touch with Steve and the others, for now.

"He has insomnia, you know, and when he does sleep, it's usually of nightmares," Wanda told her grimly. "When Nat said it's not easy, she understated it all."

"Wanda, I know what not easy is, I've lived it—maybe not on his level and not in the same way he did, but—but you all took a chance on me and helped me—Bucky included—I can do the same for him." Her voice had raised an octave, stirring Scott in his deep sleep.

Wanda looked up at her and smiled softly, looking at Jess like she was banking on it all with complete naivety. Maybe she was.

She got up from the floor and sighed, shaking her head. "Then, you'll have to head downstairs then," Wanda whispered, nodding to the stairs.

"Yeah," Jess nodded in response, rising. She made her way with Wanda, who squeezed her hand lightly before she headed down. She couldn't make out the conversation going on in the common space. As she neared the door, a figure blocked the light of the room as they walked out.

"Jess," Bucky breathed, looking relieved. She had to admit, the look made her feel a little warm inside. "They're in the middle of it now—they'll decide by sunrise."

"Oh? Okay," Jess nodded, half-smiling in a reassuring way. The news woke her up, in just six hours—according to the clock projected on the wall—they'll know. How was she going to explain him to her mother? It'll be part of the cover, she shouldn't be worried about something that far ahead right now.

"You going to bed?" Bucky asked, even though she had just come from the bedroom floor.

"Nah, I was going to wait with you—all of you—and I'm still not that tired really," she shrugged, pulling at the now straightened curl of hair in front of her shoulder.

"We can still look for that stream, if you want," Bucky offered, tilting his head to the door. He had loosened his tie and unbuttoned the first few buttons of his dress shirt. It did go with his disheveled hair pretty well.

"Sure," Jess nodded. They can both get their mind off of it all—she felt bad for the stress Sam, Steve, T'Challa, and Nat were definitely under. But Bucky leaving the room was a sign that they probably shouldn't be in there anyways.

Bucky gave her that tight-lipped smile that Jess had only started to notice was just the way he smiled sometimes before he went to the door. As it opened, Jess slipped on her sandals from the hospital and followed Bucky outside. The cold hit her skin and it felt so good, a nice difference from the stuffiness of the common area and the tension in it.

Jess and Bucky walked in pace with each other, their ears searching for the sound of the stream. They followed the same path as before, moving past the spot they had reached in complete silence. As they got further out, she could feel some of the tension leave her shoulders. Bucky kept pushing the brush out of their way and let Jess step through, giving her a hand up the steeper slopes. Jess felt comfortable in this silence now.

They can do it. Her mother's home was pretty isolated from an already remote village. The fastest way down was by a coach bus across the mountains which came by once a day. The bumpy dirt road carved into the side of the mountains kept most people away anyways.

She could get a job at a field or watch over the kids of the friendlier people—mainly her mother's older friends. If Bucky was feeling a little brave or bored, she could teach him how to farm or maybe he could find something with the fishermen. In any case, she'll find ways to sustain themselves—even if Jess had to start a farm on her mother's land.

There was already an extra room in the house—for guests—that Bucky could call his own. Their space was small; Jess almost laughed out loud imagining his bulky body in the house. They'll make do. It would be nice to have a friend there with her anyways.

Alright, enough of that; too far ahead. Heck, not even set in stone. Sue her for imagining, she daydreamed in silence.

As for the feelings Jess has been having, well she needs to shut them down quick. But at least she knows they'll work together well. That he'll listen when she blabs and hopefully she'll be able to listen once he really opens up. Jess looked up at Bucky without thinking and found him looking at her so intensely he couldn't fake it off.

"What's up?" she asked against the knot that had been forming in her stomach.

He huffed, tilting his head forward. "I hear water."

Yeah, sure, pretty boy.

Jess looked in the direction he had indicated. She couldn't hear anything like a stream, but she didn't have super-ears either. Bucky took the lead, helping Jess up a particularly rocky slope. She needs to invest in good shoes once she's back home.

"Yeah, stream," Bucky said softly, looking off as Jess found her balance at the top of the slope. It must have muffled the sound of it because Jess could see the water through the brush across the field of green.

"Hey!" she breathed, smiling brightly, tugging Bucky forward. She hurried across the field and pushed the brush out of the way, letting Bucky through before stepping onto the damp bank. The water glistened against the faint moonlight as it streamed down to their right. She took a seat on a flat, black rock, scooting to the side to give Bucky space. He sat down next to her, the light reflecting off his bright eyes. _Oh boy_.

Jess leaned forward, pushing her hand into the running water and letting it flow through her fingers. It was ice cold, so she pulled back once she felt like it would freeze her fingers off.

"Hey, let's just stay here until sunrise," Jess said, still watching the water. "Until they decide, I don't really want to go back and suffocate in anxiety—I probably won't be able to sleep."

"Okay," Bucky nodded. "I won't be able to either."

"Okay, cool," Jess nodded. "Well, not the not sleeping bit, I'll probably knock out once they tell us, but, yeah, let's stay up." She figured she might as well stay up if he was an insomniac. Better to be with someone than alone.

"So, what do you do when you can't sleep?" Jess asked, leaning back on her palms against the rock.

"Count goats."

"I think it's sheep."

"No, goats," Bucky said.

"Oh, Kevin the goat!" Jess remembered all of a sudden. "How are the children doing?" she asked with a laugh. Bucky huffed, shaking his head.

"He was delicious."

"Bucky!" Jess gasped, although her mother did cook one of her chickens once.

Bucky shrugged. "He was loud—nothing went to waste."

"Oh boy, Kevin," Jess cringed at the image of a sad looking goat. "Maybe I'll get you a goat if we ever—you know—yeah."

"It wouldn't replace the gaping hole in my heart—"

"Bucky, you ate him—"

"—I had a taste."

"I hope it was worth it, the poor little guy," Jess rose a brow at him as she eyed him in her periphery. She grinned at the curl of his lips upward before turning back to watch the water.

"You have goats?" Bucky asked and Jess felt his eyes on her.

"Oh yeah, goats, chickens, pigs—a family down the road owns a caribou—we have most things and its nice because then there's always something to do," Jess started to ramble. "I think you would like it." She sighed, trying to hold back a smile as she watched the water flow.

"I promise I won't eat them," Bucky muttered and Jess could see a smirk form across his lips as he looked at her. Oh she can't look now. She'd have to hurl herself into the river in case she spontaneously combusts.

Jess just laughed, feeling her cheeks go red as she avoided his gaze. "Oh thank God, that would've been a dealbreaker." She looked down and started to pick the hem of her dress, pulling the fabric tight. "You grew up in the city though, right?"

This should be a nice, comfortable place to start, right? It was vague enough to give him some leeway in his answer—to share only what he was comfortable with.

Bucky was quiet for a moment and Jess was a little afraid she might have gotten close to something sensitive. She continued picking at her dress until he finally spoke. "Yeah, I remember—Brooklyn, the '30s, wasn't easy."

He finally looked away from her, so Jess could look up at him without wanting to die. He frowned across the river, as if he was searching for something. She never forgot the first time she saw the same look on her mother.

"But we pulled through it—that much I remember—I met Steve a few years before it," he nodded to himself. His eyes brightened a little when he mentioned Steve and Jess couldn't help but smile.

"Who's we?" Jess asked carefully—or at least carefully in her head, it probably sounded too blunt. He had family, but he never mentioned them before. It must be even more difficult to remember them.

"My parents and sisters—Steve said I had five, but I don't remember them all." He got a little quiet at the last thing he said. He was getting to a part he didn't like.

"He said—Steve said—" Bucky cleared his throat just as his voice cracked and Jess let out the breath she held since she asked the question.

Her eyes went down to his arm, the metal finger twitching up slightly. "Bucky, you don't have to," she said quietly, wanting to wrap her hand around his to soothe him. She just watched as his jaw relaxed, his face going softer as he turned to look down at her.

"Yeah, but I want to tell you," he said low. His eyes were definitely sad, but more bittersweet.

"Okay," Jess nodded, her own breath hitching. Not five minutes into Bucky opening up and she's already ready to tear up. Damn it. Pull it together!

"Steve told me one of them passed away a few years before the war," Bucky continued. Although he maintained his composure, he said the words slowly. She didn't break eye contact with him—just listened. "She was the youngest and a few of the kids on the block got sick. I remember taking care of a sick girl—I just didn't realize it was my sister until Steve explained. He got lucky, but she didn't." His flesh hand went up to his eyes and Bucky wiped at them. He blinked at the tears that his fingertips caught and Jess bit on her lip to keep her own from falling.

He couldn't even remember her on his own. His own sister. And now he's just having to discover all that love and pain he had gone through with her—with his family—all over again, but a century too late.

Bucky sighed, taking in a deep, ragged breath as his eyes went down to Jess's hands. She had shifted herself on the rock to face him properly as he told his story, sitting on her shins with her legs folded underneath her. "You look uncomfortable," Bucky mumbled, nodding to her knees.

"I'm fine," Jess assured, waving off his concern as his eyes drifted up to hers. She wrung her hands in front of her with a frown, the effect of his gaze starting to take over again. "I—I don't have siblings," she nodded, embarrassed as her cracking voice gave her away. "It was always just my mom and me—we did everything together—it was too much really, but all we had was each other, even when I left."

Bucky nodded, still staring at her hands. "When we were on the roof—he said—he said someone forgot you—he showed me what he showed you, too," Bucky confessed, tripping over his words. Of course Pirogov did that. Not that Jess minded, at least now.

"Yeah, that's her," Jess nodded. She wished her expression was just as bittersweet as Bucky's was. "She hasn't forgotten me," she said, a little too high pitched as she shook her head furiously. She felt the tightness in her chest and throat start as the wetness built up in her eyes.

"You'll see her soon," Bucky nodded. He reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a handkerchief. He offered it to Jess and she took it with a shaking hand, smushing her eyes into it immediately. She could only nod at his reassurance, taking in a deep breath as she calmed herself down from that sudden rush.

If Bucky was coming to join her, they're going to have to find a way to pace these kinds of talks.

"I remember good things, too," Bucky said, taking over as Jess wiped the last of her tears. "Steve would always come by for dinner after his mom passed away. I cooked, he started up the games with Rebecca and the others."

"That sounds sweet," Jess's voice was still thick. "What did you cook?"

"Potatoes mostly," Bucky nodded, taking the handkerchief from her hands when she didn't know what to do with it. "We didn't have much back then." He shrugged, stuffing the handkerchief back into his jacket.

"I ate ramen and broccoli for our first few years in the States—and college too but that's just how college is I guess—"

"You went to college?"

"Shocking, right?"

"No—I just—I never met someone who's gone to college before—"

"—you've literally worked with Howard Stark—"

"—met someone I _like_ ," Bucky elaborated, making Jess grin.

"Alright, fair enough," Jess shrugged. "But yeah—college—yikes. I don't know what exactly happened there, but, yeah, Top Ramen for days."

"What did you study?" he asked, his expression brightening with new interest.

"Oh, boy, I came in for nursing—as per my people's expectations— and managed to graduate in mechanical engineering because I'm a rebel that's why," Jess shrugged. God, _mechanical_. What great use she's put that degree.

"Wow," Bucky mumbled under his breath.

"Okay, not that shocking—"

"No, it's just—wow." There he goes again.

"I mean I was average—like barely above getting weeded out average at an okay school—I'm no Stark, so let's not get our expectations too high here," she said, raising her hands up as if in defense. Really, she kept that part—the main part—of her college experience a secret. Mainly out of embarrassment of not reaping anything out of it.

"You're not average," Bucky muttered, frowning at her. His lips went into a pout and—with the way his head tilted and his eyes looked at hers—Jess was going to do it, she was going to throw herself into this damn river. "Strange, but not average."

Oh, bless.

"Oh, I'm strange?" No, he's right, but so is he. "Mr. I'm-going-to-read-this-book-to-avoid-talking-to-Jess —you're strange, too," she raised her brow questioningly.

"There were pictures."

"You and I both know that bookcase was too fancy for books with _pictures_."

"Okay," Bucky nodded, not breaking eye contact with her. He seemed up for this little challenge and suddenly Jess was the one who felt a little uneasy. God knows she's been the more upfront and brave one about all this—could she handle confident Bucky?

"Okay, then I'll apologize now for trying to—trying—" Jess felt her insides, heart and down all the way to her guts, do a flip as Bucky's eyes softened when they flashed down to her lips. Oh for the love of the Lord Jesus Christ.

"You don't have to apologize," Bucky said firmly, shaking his head as the corner of his lips tugged upwards. Jess bit down on her lip to keep from outright screaming at the sight. Just keep it together for five more minutes. Apologize. Fake a stomach ache. Then bounce.

"I mean, I should—I caught you off guard—you didn't look comfortable—"

"Jess," Bucky breathed, chuckling under his breath.

"No, I-I shouldn't have tried to kiss you, I'm sorry," she said, cringing and looking away the second she got it out. "It was weird—I think I was really wound up from the stress and stuff. I didn't mean to." That was not true, she was totally coherent, but he didn't need to know that. Not now. Jess's stomach churned at the silence, her eyes still closed in embarrassment.

"Oh," Bucky finally said, whispering it in a breath. "Alright."

She froze—either from relief or disappointment, hell, probably a bit of both—and looked up at him with a frown. "Should we just forget about it?"

"Okay, sure."

Bucky had looked away, staring across the river with emotionless eyes. She hasn't seen that look on him in a while. But a while hasn't technically been very long. What was she thinking? Whether or not Bucky was to come with her, nothing was going to happen. Whatever she saw the past few days from him was nothing more than a friend. Which was fine. A little disappointing, but fine. As long as he was there.

"Okay," Jess nodded, following his gaze into the jungle.

* * *

 _Fuck,_ he was right and for once he wishes he wasn't. She had been through a lot the past few days and he had been the one there for her for the most part, so she must have imagined feelings for him. It doesn't do much to change things for him.

Bucky stared out across the river quietly, feeling a lump in his throat. He knew it wouldn't work out the way he wanted—it can't, especially with the changes in his plea deal. It didn't matter, he'll have to get past this eventually. He's got to.

"Hey Bucky," Jess started, most likely reaching her point of impatience. He huffed—she's lasting a lot longer than before. "If they do agree to all this, would you want to work at a farm or as a fisherman? Well, those aren't the only jobs, but they're always available so—"

"Work?" Bucky asked, frowning at her, confused.

"Well, yeah," Jess answered, sounding surprised. She crossed her arms, raising a brow at him. "You didn't think I'd house you for free did you?" She looked cautious—trying to figure out his mood—even as she joked.

"I thought you were doing this out of the goodness of your heart," Bucky replied with a smirk. It wouldn't do either of them good if he let his disappointment show.

Jess grinned, so big it crinkled her eyes. "Of course not, I've got bills to pay."

"I've got goat caring experience," Bucky shrugged, earning another laugh from her.

"Oh no way, not goats,"she said, shaking her head. "We'll start off with the chicken guy and maybe you'll work your way up to goats from there."

"Goats are above chickens?"

"Yes, they're above chick—Oh shit!" Jess gasped, gaping at something behind him. Bucky turned swiftly, jumping off the rock to put himself between Jess and whatever was behind him. He held his arm up defensively, searching through the trees for what made her react.

"Easy there, Bucky," Natasha's voice called as she stepped out of the shadows. She frowned at him, then at Jess, before saying, "They've got something in line. They want to talk to you."

"Uh oh," Jess muttered. Bucky cringed at the lack of confidence that only sent a smirk to Nat's face.

"Let's go, I'll discuss on the way," Nat said, nodding back to the direction of the house. She turned and jumped off the slope to the ground below, waiting for them at the bottom.

Bucky turned to Jess and held out his hand—which she took without looking—before mumbling, "I'll help you down."

Jess sighed next to him, whispering as they made their way carefully down the slope, "Bucky, I'm nervous."

"Yeah, me too," he replied, but with a heavy, reassuring smile. "Won't hurt to try, right?"

"Right," Jess nodded, returning it. They slipped right at the bottom of the hill, but Bucky caught themselves before they could fall.

"Come on, UN office hours close soon," Nat called, crossing her arms with an accusatory raised brow aimed at him. He returned it with annoyance as they joined her and started the walk back to the house.

"So what happened?" Jess asked, keeping close to Bucky as Nat walked beside her.

Nat looked down at her, with the frown back on her face. "They're actually considering it," she began, her rough tone dripping in annoyance. "The only ones left to convince are the U.S. and the Philippines, obviously. But the U.S. does not want Bucky on their soil and the Philippines is seeing it as an opportunity to prove themselves to legitimize their seat on the council—if nothing goes wrong."

"Oh, well, that's good then," Jess said, flashing a hopeful expression at Bucky before turning back to Nat. He wishes he could return it.

"Not so fast," Nat stopped her. "They've got conditions."

"Always with the conditions," Bucky muttered. He sighed when he got a dirty look from Nat.

"They're still discussing those right now, but you and Bucky can't leave the country for five years, outside contact will be eliminated in that time, and no assistance will be provided if you get yourselves into trouble—unless the trouble blows your cover or makes the UN look bad."

"Well, jeez, is that all?" Jess asked sarcastically. When Nat gave her another smirk, Jess frowned. "Didn't have the money to take that luxury cruise anyway." She tried her best against Nat—as she should for how Nat's treating her—but it didn't work.

"I'll stay out of trouble," Bucky said, pulling Nat's attention away from Jess. She raised a brow before scoffing at him.

"Sure, Bucky, _but it's her I'm worried about_ ," she answered in Russian. Jess tensed beside him, shrinking further away from Nat. He always knew she was more scary than he was.

" _You don't know what you're talking about,"_ Bucky replied, shaking his head at her.

"Is this how people feel when I talk shit about them in Tagalog?" Jess piped up. She let out a nervous laugh, crossing her arms as she sped up her step towards the house as it came into view. So Nat scared her more than the UN.

He agreed.

* * *

Jess wanted to get this over with, but she didn't want to mess it up either. Nat—the terrifying Nat— was definitely not helping. She just needed to prove she was capable and trustworthy enough—no more than enough—to have Bucky stay with her. She needed to tell the truth about herself—well the half truths, really, unless she wanted the others to get into trouble—she just needed to do it carefully. She had a farm. The land spans more than enough acreage for complete privacy against too much exposure to people. Most people were friendly to strangers—and weirdly enough not mind-reading inhumans—so Bucky won't face hostility there. He can be disguised with Nat's tech or Shuri's inventions or Jess's telepathy. The telepathy option probably shouldn't be brought up around these people.

There weren't any opportunities to get into trouble there. The worst drama the village ever faced was her, and even then they didn't really understand the extent of her situation. Most trouble had to do with who keeps stealing the mangoes off her Ma's trees—which didn't matter at the end of the day. Not when they could be calling for an inhuman witch hunt or recognizing the man with the face of the Winter Soldier.

She can keep him safe and out of trouble until he could go back to Steve and the others.

Jess ran up to the front door of the bunker, leaving Bucky behind with Nat. She's got this. She's had to convince people of a weak argument before. Was she successful? No, but eventually she had to be, right?

She burst through the front door and hurried into the common space where T'Challa sat with Sam and Aneka in front of a hologram. They all looked up at her—expressions set—as she walked in.

Nat and Bucky walked through the door just as she stopped in front of the three.

"Ms. Mendoza, if you could please join us," T'Challa motioned for her to come forward as Sam moved to the side. Before she could replace Sam in front of the hologram, he caught her arm to stop her and whispered in her ear, "Don't get political, they don't like that. Don't get too emotional either, find a balance. Get them to think there's no other reasonable or easy option—you got this, Nose Bleed."

Weird new nickname aside, Jess smiled up gratefully at Sam before taking his place and seeing the full 3D effect of the hologram as she sat down. On this side, the hologram obscured the view of Bucky and Nat, who kept him just outside of the door. There was a table of about a dozen seats, each filled with someone who looked like they wanted to be anywhere else but here. Or there. Wherever they are.

"Hi, I'm Jessabell Mendoza," she greeted, feeling like eight year old Jess introducing herself to the classroom or eighteen year old Jess during those damn college ice breakers.

A man in a dark suit, graying and a little on the wide side, spoke. "Ms. Mendoza, why on earth would you offer to house the Winter Soldier?" He had a thick Russian accent—no German—maybe French—no that's not right. No, whatever, not the time.

"Bucky Barnes was essential to my rescue. When I heard about his amnesty deal, I offered to house him in the safety and isolation of my home out of gratitude for what he's done," Jess said. Gross, it all sounded so formal.

"Are you not afraid to have him in your home? Are you aware of what this man has done?" And there's the American delegation. Always with the fear of someone different at home and the ignorant and determinedly blind misinformation with this one.

"I am fully aware of what Hydra did to him and I am not at all afraid. Bucky has only been kind and sweet to me—to everyone here—and he's recovered from the effects of the Winter Soldier program," Jess said firmly. It's actually pretty easy when you tell the whole truth.

"Forgive me, Ms. Mendoza, but Mr. Barnes, while having shown evidence of recovery, is not fit to be in public," the Japanese rep said.

"And he doesn't deserve to live in complete isolation either," Jess said. "I understand the need to keep him away from the public eye, but sending him off to an isolated region alone is completely inhumane." She caught herself quickly as her tone reached a higher pitch, brushing off Sam's concerned expression in her periphery. Not too political, not too emotional.

A woman spoke up, her accent not quite Russian. "Ms. Mendoza, we have considered the plan to a great extent, and have come up with the required conditions should the council accept it."

"Of course," Jess nodded, relaxing a little. Not a question or criticism, thank God.

"First, you and Mr. Barnes are barred from leaving the country during his time of arrest. You shall not have any contact with Steve Rogers and his associates and any attempts to contact associates outside of your village must be approved and monitored by the council. Furthermore, no financial, security, medical, and any non-essential support will be provided to you or Mr. Barnes during the time of arrest." Medical support was non-essential? Jess nodded along to the conditions anyway—she'll take it, she didn't expect their help.

"In addition, your agreement and adherence to the Sokovia Accords will be required."

"Sorry, what?" Jess leaned forward, surprised. Really she shouldn't be—why didn't she think of this? Of course they'd make her sign.

"You are an inhuman, aren't you?"

Jess—even with her powers tuned down—could feel the rise in tension in the room. The most coming from someone outside the door.

"Yes—yes, ma'm," Jess nodded quickly. She scooted forward in her chair, suddenly unable to sit still. The other council members caught on to the caution in her voice and turned to look at her with their full attention. The woman continued to read off more conditions, but Jess didn't listen.

The principle of not signing aside, Jess couldn't do this. She wouldn't just be signing her rights away as a person—she was signing her rights away as an _inhuman_. She didn't know the entirety of what the Accords called for, especially for people like her, but she knew it didn't provide protections—not for people like her. If she signed this, she doesn't just betray her beliefs, she signs away the assurance—well the best assurance she's got—of her well-being.

But Bucky, he didn't deserve half the shit that's been thrown at him. As scared she was of her own rights, Bucky was stripped of his over and over again—most of the time he wasn't even aware of it. And this wasn't a jail sentence, not for her. She wasn't a hero—she didn't use her powers for the good of anyone, so the Accords wouldn't affect her that much, right? If only she could talk this out with someone, her Ma, Wanda, Bucky.

For once, she was not going to think of herself. She did that once before and it did not work out.

"I'll sign it," Jess said, snapping herself out of her thoughts. The woman stopped naming off of the list in her hand, looking up as the others did. Eh, there was more shock on Sam's face. Which was weird. Sam doesn't know her that well.

She felt the room around her relax as she grew nauseated. The fake confidence was peaking—she can tell by how her heart raced as she considered the council in front of her.

"Very well," the woman nodded before bringing the attention of the table back to her. "We will consider and reconvene with you all within the hour."

"Thank you," Jess breathed before the connection cut off and the hologram faded away. She blinked at the space in front of her and found a frowning Bucky.

"Why did you do that," he said in a way too weak to be a proper question.

Jess let out an empty chuckle, the air catching in her throat as she slumped against the chair she sat in. The stress she tried to ignore during the call had built up and now she could feel it spilling out of her eyes. No, she can do this. She did this. She can breathe.

"I have to, Bucky," she replied, placing a hand over her chest as she tried to breathe down from her high.

"You don't have to," he mumbled, his eyes flicking to every other person in the room as they watched their exchange. Great, an audience. Step right up nerds, Romeo and Juilet are having yet another emotional moment. No, not Romeo and Juliet—something less romantic and tragic—Bonnie and Clyde? _Oh God, no._

"It's not a big deal, really—"

"Jess—"

"Okay, I don't want to listen to this, I'll be back in an hour," Nat said, rolling her eyes as she brushed past Bucky to leave.

Bucky sighed, taking quick and long strides to crouch next to her. He looked—guilty, almost, as he looked up at Jess. She felt her face grow hot again, all eyes in the room were on her and Bucky.

"Hey, they know about me, they probably would've made me sign eventually," Jess shrugged, leaning down to smile assuringly at him. Actually, she wasn't sure how it worked. Did it apply to all super powered, enhanced people? No matter if they decided to go out there and make use of their abilities?

Bucky's jaw clenched and he looked away, muttering something to himself.

"What is it?"

"Don't compromise yourself for me," he mumbled, a twinge of frustration in his voice. Jess frowned, narrowing her eyes at him. "I'm not worth it."

Jess opened, then closed, then opened her mouth again, not knowing how to respond to something like that. How long have they really known each other—like a week? She had to admit it was a bit ridiculous how she'd take such a huge stride for him. But when you had an experience like hers, huge strides like these were something you would do.

She looked at Sam briefly—for some reason—and he had a hardened expression at the back of Bucky's head she didn't quite understand. Biting down on her lip, she looked back at Bucky, still looking as torn as ever. "Bucky, I'm going to sign—whether you're worth it or not—you're not going to spend the rest of your life alone."

"It's not something you want," Bucky said immediately, something in his eye telling her he also meant things other than the Accords. She huffed, pushing her hair behind her ears with a breathy laugh.

"And who told you that?" Jess quirked a brow at him, trying to look confident in herself. At this point, Jess didn't want a whole lot of things. She could settle, take whatever she can get, but if she had him by her side—well, that brief list of things would get a hell of a lot shorter. "I'm not signing just for you. This'll make sure the UN won't be on my ass—at least not for a worse reason."

Bucky grunted, his eyes boring into hers. What was that in them now? Frustration? Gratefulness? Anxiety? Funny how he could say so much in them.

"You're ridiculous," he mumbled with an incredulous smile, eyes darting down to her hands clasped on her lap. She laughed lightly, her chest feeling a little heavy. He was totally worth it.

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ Hey guys, sorry about the long waits between chapters. My life has been getting very busy and I have less and less time to write nowadays :(. Hope you enjoyed this chapter though! It's a little on the long side and most future chapters will be the same. Don't worry, we're getting there-I'm not mentioning anything about Infinity War mostly because I'm still sad af, but also because it's still relevant to this story. Stay tuned!


End file.
